fried rice
I have been craving delicious fried rice for some time but the thought of ordering it at a chinese restaurant (with msg - yuk!) totally held me back from indulging. so i decided to come up with my own recipe, that way i know exactly what is going in there. the recipe is pretty flexible as you can use just about any type of vegetable that you like and any type of protein that you like (just substitute shrimp or chicken for the tofu).
whatever you do, do not omit the oyster sauce, soy sauce or the drizzle of sesame oil, as this is where all the flavors are.
Makes 4 servings
1 package firm tofu
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, chopped
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2-3 cups brown rice, cooked
4-5 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2-3 tbsp oyster sauce
Sesame oil
Instructions:
Cut tofu into ½ inch slices. Place on a few layers of paper towels, top with a few more paper towels, and place a pan or heavy object over the slices to drain the water. Let sit for about 10 minutes. Cut slices into ½ inch cubes. Place the cubes on a non-stick cookie sheet and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until light golden brown. Set aside.
In a large pan, cook the vegetables in 2 tbsp of water for 2 minutes. Add the eggs and cook until the eggs are scrambled with the veggies and completely cooked through. Add the brown rice, tofu cubes, soy sauce and oyster sauce and stir until heated through. Remove from heat and lightly drizzle with sesame oil. Enjoy!