It's spring! Time to ditch the caramelized vegetables and bleu cheese for a while and eat fresh, fresh, fresh stuff. Gotta love the Central Valley of California for that. However, this week's inspiration actually came from further afield ... a Maui pineapple brought back by a kind co-worker. I'm almost not jealous of her now.
Chicken-fried rice with pickled ginger and sesame seeds
2 chicken breasts, diced
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
1/2 c baby carrots, halved lengthwise
1 head broccoli, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 c cooked rice (I used leftover)
1/4 c soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp brown sugar
pinch allspice
Your favorite hot sauce to taste (I use Sriracha for all Asian-themed applications)
pickled ginger (the deep red, julienned kind is best for this)
toasted sesame seeds (I toast a bunch and keep them in a jar in the fridge)
Mix soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, brown sugar, hot sauce and allspice in small bowl. Add water or broth to make about 1/2 - 2/3 c of sauce.
Season chicken to taste with salt and pepper. Stir-fry in hot oil until no longer pink. Set aside.
Stir-fry onions and carrots in same pan until onions begin to soften. Add broccoli and bell peppers. Stir until broccoli color deepens. Add rice, chicken, and sauce. Stir occasionally until heated through.
Serve in bowls. Use pickled ginger and sesame seeds to garnish. Don't skimp, this stuff is what makes the dish. Yum.
1 comment:
I forgot to say, the pineapple was cut in chunks and served as a side dish. I didn't want to do anything to mess up that amazing flavor, but the fried rice was a great coutnerpoint and the pickled ginger a lovely related flavor.
Post a Comment