FRUITY FRIED RICE

 I used to go to this salvage store back when because they had discounted dented canned foods and such.  I made hard cider once in awhile and would go in for the discount priced apple juice, buying twenty quarts at a time.  Man alive, the store manager loved me.  When they had a big sale on canned pineapple I stocked up on it.  I liked it in pork stir fries with bell peppers, or would serve the sliced pineapple with powdered ginger for dessert.  As a big rice eater I always had a lot of rice in the icebox and made fried rice often. After awhile I changed up the fried rice recipe by adding some diced up canned pineapple to it. 

After years of making fried rice, I started using fresh pineapple and appreciated it, but you know, I fondly remember enjoying the canned pineapple when it was the only game in town.

If you ever have leftover rice (you can insure this by making extra above what you need) a really fantastic fruity fried rice can be made.  Fried rice is great for daytime snacks, side dishes, or can be pumped up with tofu or edamame for a complete meal.  This is, to me and my BW, one fabulous fried rice.

Fruit Fried Rice                                      serves 4 or 2 as a main dish

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil in all

2 eggs beaten with a dash of soy sauce and water

3 scallions sliced, white and green both

3/4 cup diced red bell pepper, diced small

1 tablespoon grated or minced gingerroot

2 cups day old, cooked, leftover rice

1 cup diced pineapple, diced small

½ cup orange segments, cut in half or diced peach slices, diced small

1 Tablespoon Asian dark sesame oil

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

Dash of hot sauce (optional)

½ teaspoon salt or more to taste

Dash of crushed red pepper (optional)

Method:

1. In a wide skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and pour the beaten egg mixture in.  Swirl the skillet to let the egg cover the skillet bottom so that you have a very thin omelet.  Cook slowly till set and then carefully turn the egg over and cook it briefly. If your skillet is not wide enough, use one beaten egg at a time because you want the cooked omelet very thin. Remove to a cutting board, fold in half, cut into thin narrow strips, starting parallel with the fold and then cut them crosswise, ending up with small squares.  Set aside.

2. Wipe the skillet clean and put 2 tablespoons of oil in it and heat.  Put in the onions, bell pepper and the gingerroot.  Stir thoroughly.

3. If you want to add tofu or edamame or even velveted chicken,   http://gritsandgroceries.blogspot.com/2011/04/velvet-chicken.html  add it now.  The edamame can be par boiled or microwaved briefly before adding.  If using tofu, use very firm tofu and fry it first to brown it slightly.  Then add it to the skillet.

4. Add the rice and stir it in.  Then stir in the fruit, the sesame oil, soy sauce, salt and the hot sauce and crushed red pepper if using.  Stir thoroughly.

There you have it, a fried rice dish brought to fruition.  Enjoy