Vegetable Fried Rice

  • 5 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
  • 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 4 cups cooked long-grain rice (preferably jasmine), chilled
  • 1 small white or yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into 1⁄4-inch dice, blanched*
  • 1⁄2 cup fresh or frozen green peas
  • 1⁄2 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed and discarded, caps thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine (Shaoxing)* or dry sherry
  • 1⁄4 cup soy sauce
  • 6 whole green onions, thinly sliced, 1⁄4 cup green tops reserved for garnish
  • freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Coat a large wok with 1 tablespoon of peanut oil; place over medium-high heat and heat through. Add eggs, swirling around to coat the bottom of the pan and form a crepe-like sheet of “omelette.” When eggs are just firm and barely cooked through, slide the “omelette” onto a plate; when cool enough to handle, finely chop and set aside until needed. Wipe out wok with a paper towel.

If the cooked rice has formed lumps, break them apart with wet hands.
Heat wok over high heat; add remaining 4 tablespoons of peanut oil and heat through. Add onion, blanched diced carrot, peas, and sliced mushrooms; stir-fry for 1 minute. Add rice wine or sherry and stir-fry one minute more.

Add rice and toss to coat with the oil and vegetables. Stir in the soy sauce and green onions and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stop stirring and let the rice cook, undisturbed, until it is slightly crisp, about 2 minutes. Stir the rice again, breaking up any new lumps that have formed.

Add the reserved egg and green onions to the wok and stir to combine; serve immediately garnished with additional thinly sliced green onion tops.

*Note: To blanch vegetables, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the carrots until just tender, about 1 to 2 minutes. Plunge in an ice water bath to stop the cooking; drain and set aside.

Make It Ahead: Vegetable Fried Rice may be prepared in advance and reheated just before serving.

Variation: Add shrimp, tofu, Chinese sausage, pork or chicken for a more substantial dish.

Serves 6