Fried Rice served with General Tso Chicken

FRIED RICE by Rachael Ray

• 2 3/4 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups white rice
• 3 tablespoons vegetable or wok oil, 3 turns of the pan
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 inches fresh ginger, minced or grated
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots, available in pouches in produce section, a couple of handfuls
• 1 small red bell pepper, diced
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/3 cup Tamari, dark aged soy sauce

Directions

Bring water to a boil. Add rice, reduce heat, cover and cook over medium low heat until tender, 15 to 18 minutes. Spread rice out on a cookie sheet to quick cool (oooops, I skipped this part).

Heat a wok, wok shaped skillet or large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add oil to the pan. 

Add egg to hot oil and break into small bits as it scrambles. When eggs are scrambled, add garlic and ginger to the pan.

Add carrots, pepper, scallions to the pan and quick stir-fry veggies 2 minutes. 

Add rice to the pan and combine with veggies. Fry rice with veggies 2 or 3 minutes.

Add peas and soy sauce to the rice and stir fry 1 minute more.

GENERAL TSO'S CHICKEN

Heat the chicken pieces according to directions on package.

Use your favorite stir-fry sauce.  I bought this one at Target.  Heat in the microwave for a few minutes, just until its heated thoroughly.

Pour heated sauce over chicken pieces

Serve with fried rice.

This was a very quick and simple recipe to make especially since the chicken was already cooked and just needed to be heated.  I didn't have the peas nor the Tamari dark soy sauce, so what does one do in this situation?  Either improvise OR do without, I chose the latter as far as the peas go,  plus I'm not crazy about peas in my fried rice anyways.   I did have the regular soy sauce and after everything was said and done, it was all VERY good.  I really enjoyed this dish as I'm nuts over Asian food :) ~isavortheweekend