I suppose this week I’m all about sensible, moderately healthy meals. How… out of character. In all seriousness, however, this is how I eat most of the time. I make a reasonably healthy meal that will serve about eight people, Harry and I eat a quarter of it, and then I spend the next few days coasting on the leftovers and using my time in the kitchen to bake frivolous things. Classic.
The reason why this recipe is a keeper? It makes eating leftovers seem like not such a bad thing. I can literally eat it three days in a row and still feel happy while pulling the third bowl out of the microwave, dousing it with extra soy sauce and sriracha, and sitting down to eat it on the couch while pinning recipes on Pinterest. (I mean… while reading articles and books for my dissertation. Obviously.) It’s a rare meal that I’m not bored of by the third day, but this one makes the cut. That’s why it’s a favorite in our home.
I used to make fried rice, but this meal replaced it completely. It doesn’t require the planning-ahead aspect of having leftover cooked rice on hand, and there’s no oil used. And it makes a lot of food. Farewell, fried rice recipe. You served me well, but I’ve moved on now. It’s not you, it’s me. I’m just not in a place right now where I want a fancy French take on fried rice, especially one that requires me to fry the eggs separately. Do you have any idea how hard it is for me to make four sunny-side-up eggs at the same time, then transfer them without breaking the yolks? And, seriously, a half-cup of oil? You always came out a little greasy, and eating you kind of hurt my stomach. Not to mention how easy it is to burn the garlic.
Fine, maybe it is you, a little bit. You’ve stayed as fussy and exacting as ever, and I’ve moved to a place where I want a healthy, hearty meal that’s cheap and easy to make. I hope we can still be friends, in an “I won’t delete you from my rice pinboard, but I won’t cook you either” kind of way. Thank you for being so understanding about the fact that I’m seeing a new soy sauce/rice dish, since I think this new dish and I will be together for a long time. In a way, you helped me figure out what I really wanted from fried rice, and for that I will always be grateful.
