Fried rice has been a favorite of mine since I was little. My parents used to order take-out from a nearby Chinese food restaurant at least twice a month. I have kept that “tradition” in my adult life. You know, after a busy week of cooking and testing recipes, take-out is perfect for a leisurely Sunday evening. We have tried many restaurants, and our favorite is P.F. Chang. But I haven’t felt good after eating there in the past couple of times. I mean. It’s not like I got sick or something like that. It’s more like I have trouble digesting their food. Perhaps, they use too much oil and seasoning… Who knows? I am not getting any younger here, either. So this past weekend, I decided to make homemade fried rice. I knew that to get a better texture, I needed to use leftover rice, so when I cooked the Peri Peri Chicken the other day, I cooked more rice than usual so that I could have some leftovers. I don’t know about you, but I am picky about my fried rice, well… rice in general! I don’t like it all clumpy, soggy, and sticky. On the other hand… I don’t like it TOO dry either. I told you I am picky! You can blame my mom, who makes the best rice in the world. This Shrimp and Sweet Pea Shoots Fried Rice turned out perfect!! Light, fluffy, and flavorful. I added some delicious organic pea shoots to give it a special twist. They’re delicate enough to eat raw if you’re unfamiliar with them. The stems are edible, and the tendrils are just delicious. They have a sweet crispness that goes beautifully with just about anything, pasta, frittatas, salads, omelets, sandwiches, etc. I used a wok, but if you don’t have one, you can also use a skillet with high sides and big enough not to crowd all the ingredients or a Dutch oven. One important thing is that you have to make sure that your pan is as hot as it can get – so you need to think ahead and move fast. Get everything ready before you start to prevent burning. Did I mention it only takes 15 minutes to make? Much less time than it takes for my husband to get dressed, drive, pick up the food, and return home. Enjoy!
