Oriental Vegetables & Rice

This stir-fried rice uses a frozen Asian vegetable blend (broccoli, red pepper, bamboo shoots, and straw mushrooms) as a shortcut that gets dinner on the table fast without sacrificing flavor. Sesame oil gives it that unmistakable nutty, toasty aroma that turns plain rice into something that smells and tastes like takeout.

Using both sesame oil and vegetable oil is deliberate. Sesame oil has a low smoke point and burns easily at stir-fry temperatures. The vegetable oil handles the high heat while the sesame oil provides the flavor. Two teaspoons of sesame is enough to perfume the entire dish.

The rice needs to be pre-cooked and ideally cold from the fridge. Cold rice stir-fries better because the grains are firm and separate. Freshly cooked, hot rice is too moist and clumps together, giving you a sticky mess instead of distinct, coated grains.

A tablespoon of soy sauce is just enough to season without making everything salty. Pass extra at the table for those who want more.

Kitchen Tips

• Stir-fry the frozen vegetables first until they’re hot and slightly charred before adding the rice. Adding rice too early cools the pan.
• Break up any rice clumps gently with your spatula as you stir-fry. Pressing too hard mashes the grains.
• Keep the heat high. Fried rice needs a hot pan to get that slight smoky char.
• Cook leftover rice specifically for this dish. Day-old fridge rice is ideal.

Variations

• Add a beaten egg pushed to one side of the pan, scrambled, then mixed in for egg fried rice.
• Toss in diced tofu or shrimp for added protein.
• Stir in a teaspoon of chili garlic sauce for a spicy kick.