A pan full of veggie-packed fried rice is one of the easiest and most satisfying weeknight dinners we know of. And once you get the hang of this basic method, you'll be able to turn leftover rice and whatever odds and ends you have in the fridge—some rotisserie chicken, roasted veggies, a wedge of cabbage, kimchi—into a quick and delicious meal. If you don't have a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet, using a non-stick pan is your best bet; you won't get the same char on the veggies, but you don't want the eggs to stick to the pan. And don't be tempted to leave out the sugar—as weird as it may seem, it's the secret to getting color on the rice in a hurry.
Ingredients
Serves 4
1 small head of broccoli
1 large bunch scallions (green or spring onion)
4 large eggs
Kosher salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
4 tsp. soy sauce
1 1" piece ginger
2 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
2 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar
Steps
1. This fried rice comes together really quickly, so it's important that all of your ingredients are prepped and ready to go before you start cooking. First up: broccoli. Holding onto broccoli stem, shave around the head with a chef’s knife and let the florets fall onto cutting board. If the pieces seem too large, break them down further into bite-sized pieces. Remove an inch or so of woody end of the stem. Use a vegetable peeler or paring knife to peel the remaining stem, then coarsely chop into pieces about the same size as florets so they'll cook at the same rate. Transfer broccoli to a medium bowl.
2.Trim 1 bunch scallions (green or spring onion) on both ends, then cut crosswise into 1" pieces. Transfer to bowl with broccoli.
3.Whisk 4 eggs in another medium bowl to combine and season with ½ tsp. Salt.
4.Whisk 1 Tbsp. sugar, 4 tsp. soy sauce, and 1 tsp. salt in a small bowl. Grate 1" piece ginger and 2 garlic cloves into bowl and give the sauce another whisk.
5.Time to cook! Bring all of your prepped ingredients to the stove. Heat 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large cast-iron skillet—or non-stick if you don't have one—over medium-high until just beginning to smoke. Add broccoli and scallions (green or spring onion), season with a good pinch of salt, and toss with a spatula to coat in oil. Cook, undisturbed, until well charred on one side, about 5 minutes. When we say "undisturbed," we mean it! You need consistent, direct contact with the hot pan in order to get color on the veggies, so resist the urge to constantly fuss with them. Mix with spatula and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until broccoli is crisp-tender and scallions are wilted, about 2 more minutes. Transfer veggies back to the bowl they came from.
6.Heat remaining 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil in skillet over medium-low. Add eggs and cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until large curds begin to form, about 30 seconds. The eggs will cook very quickly, so try to err on the side of runny and less-cooked because they can become spongy if overcooked.
7.Add 3 cups rice and soy sauce mixture to eggs. Toss well to combine, then press down evenly into skillet. Cook, undisturbed, until rice is slightly crisped on one side, about 5 minutes. (Remember: undisturbed!)
8.Return veggies to skillet and toss well to combine. Remove from heat, add 2 Tbsp. sesame oil and 2 Tbsp. vinegar, and toss once more.
9.Divide fried rice among bowls and serve.
Recipe by Kat Boytsova.
This originally appeared on Bon Appétit in 2018.
