Simple Egg Fried Rice

I know I’m known for generally extravagant meals, so a simple egg fried rice dish seems to be a bit out of character for me. Even more so because as a child, I hated fried rice in any way, shape, or form. This is actually because it’s what I was very often packed for lunch… but these days, I find myself missing the flavors of my childhood, and on a whim I decided to make a simple fried rice.

This season is drawing to a close and my ducks have stopped laying, so I’m using up the last of my duck eggs. My chives will also end their season soon and die back to the ground, waiting to spring up more lush and explosive next year. The recipe for this I have written for chicken eggs, so you won’t have to dilute the duck egg with milk to keep it soft and fluffy.

If you plan to add meat or extra vegetables to this, add it after the egg but before the rice. If you add soy sauce, sake, sugar, and garlic, you’ll recreate Japanese Hibachi fried rice. Smoked salmon, wet bean curd, dried douchi, chili crisp, sausage, spam, ham, chicken, charsui, etc. are all fine additions. I know there is a stigma against MSG, but oh well. I often add it when making Chinese or Japanese dishes to no ill effects.

Contrary to popular belief, it’s fine to use fresh rice for this, your rice will simply be slightly softer. If you want to recreate day old rice, stick it in the refrigerator, uncovered, until it is thoroughly cooled.

Ingredients

• 1 egg, scrambled
• 1 bowl of cooked white rice (about 1 cup cooked)
• 1 tablespoon minced chives or scallions
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pinch of garlic powder (optional)
• 1 pinch of MSG (optional)

1. In a pan over medium heat, scramble the egg in the butter. Push it to the edge of the pan while it hasn’t fully solidified yet.
2. Add the rice to the center of the pan and roughly separate the grains with a spatula.
3. Mix in the cooked scrambled egg, scallions/chives, salt and pepper to taste, garlic powder and MSG (if using.)
4. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, mixing the ingredients together. Serve hot.