Fried Rice

Ingredients:
4 c. cooked rice
oil
2 eggs
1 carrot - diced
1/2 c. frozen peas
4 scallions - minced
1/2 c. leftover meat
salt or soy sauce


Preparation:

1. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat.

2. Add a little oil and wait a few moments for it to heat up.

3. Break the eggs into the wok and mix quickly to scramble.

4. When the egg is well-set, remove it and chop it into bite-size pieces or strips.

5. Wipe out the wok and add a little more oil. Wait for it to heat.

6. If the rice is clumpy, break it up with your hands so that each grain is separate.

7. Add the cold rice to the wok. Move the rice quickly around the hot pan by putting your spoon or spatula under the rice and turning it over. (This is the basic stir-frying technique.)

8. After a minute or so, add the diced carrots and move them about the pan with the rice.

9. After 3 minutes, add the frozen peas and stir-fry.

10. After 2 minutes, add the scallions, egg and meat, if using.

11. Season the rice with salt or soy sauce once the ingredients are well-mixed. Cook another minute or until everything is heated through.

12. Remove from heat and serve.


Tips:
The amount of oil you use is up to you. You need only a tablespoon or so to keep the rice from sticking.

You can put anything you want in fried rice: leftover vegetables, stir-fry or anything that seems interesting. Try fried rice with ham and eggs for breakfast.

Traditionally, fried rice is seasoned with salt instead of soy sauce, because soy sauce turns the rice brown. Whichever you choose, be conservative when you first add it. You can always add more, but you can\'t take too much back.

Try a few drops of sesame oil in the egg before you cook it.

Try some minced garlic and ginger in the oil before you add the rice.

If your wok is large, you can cook the egg with everything else: After the rice and other ingredients are heated, push it to the sides of the wok so there\'s an empty space in the bottom. Crack the eggs into the space and cook. When the eggs are set, stir everything together to break up the eggs.

Some people like ketchup on their fried rice.