Fried Rice

Life is busy these days.  As I work from home on Tuesdays, I decided to make big batches of a few complete-meal grain dishes that I can take to school with me and/or eat immediately upon returning home.  In addition to this fried rice, I made a lot of Italian Tabouleh.  I added chickpeas to the tabouleh and tempeh to the fried rice to make each dish a complete meal, especially when paired with salad or steamed vegetables:

This fried rice doesn't look too exciting, but it tastes great, due not only to the umami flavors of the mushrooms, the tempeh, and the tamari, but also to the generous amount of oil and the brown sugar which sort of carmelizes with the oil and rice.

Fried Rice

(adapted from The Asian Vegan Kitchen)

Ingredients

3 TB canola or peanut oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, finely chopped

*

1 carrot, shredded or diced

1 c mushrooms (pref. shiitake), diced

1 c froz peas, thawed

4 oz tempeh, chopped

*

4 c white rice, cooked and cooled

1-2 tsp brown sugar

1 TB tamari

salt and pepper to taste

*

1 scallion (w/greens), minced

cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

In a very large frying pan or wok, heat the oil.  Saute garlic and onions for a few minutes, then add carrots, mushrooms, peas, and tempeh.  Cook another 4-5 minutes.  Add rice, sugar, tamari, salt and pepper, and cook while stirring until rice is warmed through and dish is mixed.  Turn off heat, stir in scallions.  Garnish with cilantro.  Serves 4-5.