fried rice

Remember how Chinese restaurants used to be?  Kind of mysterious and exotic, nicely decorated, and the costumed waitress would bring a cute little pot of hot tea, automatically, to go with your meal.

And the food was good!  Now all the Chinese places seem to be the same. Enormous buffets with many things that aren't even remotely Chinese food.

One of our favorite menu items before, was the fried rice.  I can't duplicate it, but I often make this version that we like pretty well.

Fried Rice
olive oil, or sesame oil, or butter
6 to 8 cups cooked Basmati rice
1 onion, diced
1 or 2 green peppers, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 cup diced carrots
 3 Tbsp. chicken soup base (not bullion - too salty)
3 or 4 eggs
almonds

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add diced veggies and saute until tender crisp.

Add about 1 cup water and chicken soup base mix. Simmer until soup mix is dissolved. Stir in cooked rice.

Return to simmer and cook until broth is absorbed.

Scramble eggs ( I do this in the microwave). Dice them up and gently stir into rice.

Coarsely chop almonds and mix them into rice.   Time to eat!

I sometimes use other veggies too...frozen peas or pea pods, water chestnuts, those cute little miniature ears of corn, and so forth.  You could also add chicken or pork.  

It holds up well in the fridge for several days and reheats just fine in the microwave.

We had it for Sunday dinner, along with Famous Butter Chicken, and steamed buttered broccoli. (Only three of us for dinner this week)

Blueberry Cream Cake for dessert.

(yes, it's a little overdone)