Rice and eggs

Twenty-Minute Egg Fried Rice

This only stays near twenty minutes if the rice is already cooked and cold. Hot rice from the pot clumps and steams. Cold rice fries into separate grains.

Prep: 5 minutesCook: 15 minutesServes: 3

Ingredients

• 3 cups cold cooked rice
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 small carrot, diced, or 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon mild vinegar
• Optional: 2 sliced green onions

Instructions

1. Break up clumps in the rice. Have the eggs, vegetables, and garlic next to the pan.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Scramble the eggs until just set. Slide them onto a plate.
3. Add the rest of the oil. Cook the carrot or frozen vegetables about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for half a minute.
4. Add the rice. Let it sit 30 seconds, then toss for about 3 minutes.
5. Add the soy sauce and the eggs, breaking the eggs into pieces. Add the vinegar. Taste. Add salt only if it still needs it.
6. Turn off the heat. Stir in the green onions if you have them.

Substitutions

• Carrot: peas, leftover broccoli, or a handful of spinach at the end.
• Soy sauce: salt, added carefully, plus the vinegar.
• Eggs: a drained can of tuna, flaked in at the end. It is a different dinner and still fine.

Storage

Refrigerate within a couple of hours, up to 3 days. Reheat in a hot pan. Do not leave cooked rice out for the afternoon.

Related: Chicken rice bowl, Potato and egg skillet.