leftover white rice | Cooking at Clark Towers

current situation, we are out on the porch with our morning tea and coffee. The birds are chirping the wind chime is chiming, and for some strange reason I have a very mean humming bird who doesn’t like to share. I do have only one feeder but many flowers around so I am sure there is plenty of nectar to share but this little bugger sits in the tree and chases everyone else off. He/she needs a time out! Update – a few minutes ago there were 2 hummingbirds on the feeder, they are trying to make a liar out of me now hmmmmm

So I am sure that this recipe will be cool with some and some won’t even read the recipe; let alone make it all because of the word Spam. Technically it is a terrible name, if you google it the first definition is an irrelevant or inappropriate messages sent on the internet to a large number of recipients. the second definition is a canned meat product made mainly from ham. No wonder people now a days are not a fan. When I was growing up I distinctly remember my mother grinding it up for ham salad finger sandwiches and I remember my dad using it in westerns and frying it up for a sandwich.

So those of you courageous enough to pick up a can, or dare I say two of this terribly named meat; you should check this recipe out, even the leftovers are quite delicious with a little Thai chili sweet chili sauce.

Spam Fried Rice

dclarkabal

another great way to use up some leftover white rice and also clean out the fridge

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Ingredients

3 cups day old white rice room temperature
1 table sesame oil
canola oil for frying
1 can 12 ounce Spam sliced into ⅛ x 1-inch matchsticks - we used light Spam
1 cup carrots about 1½ finely diced
1 cup onion about ½ we used Vidalia
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 cup chopped green onions, green and white parts about 4
1 teaspoon garlic finely grated/minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 large eggs lightly beaten
4-6 eggs for frying/serving (optional)

Instructions

in a large bowl combine the rice with the sesame oil, toss to coat and set aside
Using a wok or large pan, set it over medium heat and coat the bottom with 1-2 tablespoons of canola or similar oil. Fry the Spam for a minute or so on each side, or until they are browned and a little crispy. Transfer Spam to a small bowl and set aside.
Turn the heat to medium-low and coat with 1-2 tablespoons oil. Once the oil is shimmering and hot, add the carrots and onion. using a wooden spoon or spatula stir-fry until the onion is translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper before increasing the heat to medium. Add ½ cup of the green onions and cook for another minute to soften them. Add the rice, garlic, soy, oyster and Worcestershire along with the Spam. Breaking up the rice as needed with the wooden spoon. Stir-fry until the rice is hot and has absorbed all of the liquids, about 4-5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.
Create a well in the middle of the rice and pour the beaten eggs. Let sit for 30 seconds before scrambling them. using the wooden spoon let them set another 30 seconds before scrambling them again. This last time bring the rice together with the scrambled eggs. Stir-fry for another minute or so until the eggs are cooked through, Turn off the heat, sprinkle with the remaining green onion and let it sit until you are ready to serve.
Make your fried and If you are serving one on top, I am not sure why you wouldn't but you do you!

recipe adapted from cookbook Aloha Kitchen

If you have ever ordered takeout from a Chinese, Japanese or Thai restaurant you probably ended up with a container or two or even three of white rice. I mean who is not going to eat the fried rice first over the plain, sticky and starchy white rice am I right?

If you are anything like me you can’t just throw it away. So you put it in the fridge with the rest of the leftovers since you ordered way more than you could ever eat in one sitting and wait for someone to eat it. Until it stays in there a week, or more and you end up throwing it away on fridge clean out day. I too am guilty of this!

I started out thinking I was going to make fried rice, but with the ingredients I wanted to add to my dish we ended up with a stir fry. You might think they are similar and they basically are. Both using leftover rice, both cooked on high heat with a little oil. You cook them both in a wok but you don’t have to if you don’t have one. Both have some veggies and a protein plus a little soy sauce or oyster sauce; maybe some hoisin sauce top with a few sliced scallion and you’ve got a meal.

Here is what I threw in my stir fry – you make yours with what you like and what you have on hand.

2 containers leftover white rice
2 chicken breast
2 carrots – match stick
1 medium onion
1 can water chestnuts
1 can baby corn chopped
1/2 bell pepper
handful pea pod
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoon hoisin sauce
3 cloves garlic – minced
1 teaspoon ginger – grated
kosher salt and black pepper

Prep by slicing and dicing all of your ingredients.

heat your pan with a little oil and add the chicken or whatever protein you are using if it is not already cooked. Remove from heat, add the onion, carrots, pepper stirring constantly around the pan until lightly cooked, add the garlic stirring for another minute or two. Add the remaining already cooked veggies along with rice and chicken. Add the soy sauce and the hoisin. It only takes a minute or two for everything to come together.