Crispy Rice and Eggs for Stir

 Lots of reviews going on for this book, Stir - My Broken Brain and the Meals That Brought Me Home, by Jessica Fechtor, and due to it being our current Cook the Books Club selection, I'm joining the crowd, and delighted to do so. It was a book I hadn't thought to really enjoy. As Fechtor herself says:

"When I tell people that I am writing the story of a blocked and broken brain --- and oh, by the way, there will be recipes, too --- I get some strange looks.  Food is not supposed to top the list of things you think about, apparently, when you're recovering from a near-fatal brain explosion."

Surprisingly, to me anyway, it was a terrific read, due to the author's straightforward account, evocative writing, and her ability to keep a sense of perspective, objectivity and (gallows?) humor through a truly horrific time.  All that and the fact that we know she does get better in the end.

Move Over Sam Choy Fried Rice

This fried rice was sooo delicious, I made a main meal of it. What else do you really need? A few sun-ripened cherry tomatoes and fresh cilantro from our garden is all.

When we get to visit Honolulu every so often, Sam Choy's is a favorite stop for breakfast or lunch. The food is terrific, and his fried rice is pretty darn good. But, if I say so myself, mine is really, really good. Awesome, in fact.

By now you know how I do love duck, so the last of the confit went into this - mostly giblets, sliced up, some still-a-bit-crunchy green beans, flavored with shoyu, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, etc. Add whatever vegetables you have on hand. I definitely used more than is typical for our local fried rice. Peas are good, slivered carrots, shitake mushrooms, celery, and of course spring onions, scallions or regular old onions. I put so many goodies in there, they almost aced out the rice. But, I do think this is about the tastiest way to use up your left-over rice. Mine is usually a blend of brown long-grain, wild rice and white basmati.

Move Over Sam Choy Fried Rice

Ingredients
1 egg, beaten
2 - 3 tablespoons duck fat or olive oil
1/2 chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 thumb raw ginger, finely grated or minced
1/2 cup or so chopped fresh or frozen vegetables
1-2 tablespoons shoyu
1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce (or to taste)
1 tablespoon patis or oyster sauce if desired
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/3 - 1/2 cup diced cooked bacon, duck, chicken, ham or Portugese sausage
2 or more cups cooked rice
2 tablespoons chopped green onions, chives, parsley or cilantro

First slice and dice your vegetables and bit of meat or tofu, then get out a wok or large frying pan, heating a tablespoon of oil (I used that lovely rendered duck fat). Gently pour the beaten egg in a thin layer, let firm up, then remove and slice into long strips (or you can just scramble the egg). Put that aside, then saute onion in a bit more oil, or fat of choice, til turning translucent.

Next add the ginger and garlic, fry a minute or two then toss in whatever other vegetables you're going to use, stir frying madly til just barely tender, adding more oil if needed. If you have something that takes a bit longer add your shoyu with a tablespoon of water and put a lid on it for a few minutes. Which is what I did for the green beans.

Now add whatever left-over meat you want, if any, or tofu cubes (teriyaki tofu would be good) and let it heat through. Many locals would use diced, fried Spam here. Finally add the chili sauce, shoyu, sesame oil and rice. Stir fry til heated then taste and see if you want to add any salt or fish sauce. Toss the egg in and finish with green onions if using, or cilantro. I often add a topping of crispy fried duck cracklings.


I just had a little left from dinner, so for breakfast added an egg over easy. Truly great with a half papaya and some green jasmine tea. Breakfast, lunch or dinner actually, all three. I love this ono fried rice any old time.

As a side note, you may have noticed, I'm not doing too many of my rants these days. I figure focusing on all of the idiocy going on in the world at large is too depressing. We can pray for our leaders, love one another where we are and just do our best. Not that this was ever intended to be a food and garden blog, but at the very least, I'm enjoying it.