Curry Fried Rice

Curry Fried Rice

Note: This is my go-to recipe when we need to go to the grocery store.  It is very forgiving... a good "clean out the fridge" recipe if you have lots of veggie ends, or if you don't, frozen stir fry veggies make for very quick prep.  I am using mostly frozen veggies in the shopping list, but feel free to exchange for your choice of fresh, or use a combination. You could make this spicier with more curry paste.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups rice (brown if you have time for it to cook, white if you need it to be quicker)
vegetable oil
2-3 eggs, well-beaten
1 onion, sliced into thin moons
1 bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 package frozen stir fry vegetables
2-3 T. red curry paste
1/2  c. coconut milk
2-3 T. soy sauce
1-2 T. brown sugar
3-4 scallions (optional)
1/2 c. chopped peanuts (optional)

Procedure:
1.  Put rice on to cook in your preferred method.  I like to boil white rice if I'm using it, and slightly reduce water and cook time on brown rice to make sure that it's not too soggy.

2.  In a wok or large skillet, heat 2 T. vegetable oil. When oil is hot, add eggs in one thin layer, swirling the pan around.  Use your spatula to pull the outer edges of the omelet toward the center.  When the omelet is mostly firm, flip it over and cook until all areas are firm.  Remove to a plate and cut into bite-sized strips.

3.  Add another tablespoon or so of oil to the skillet. Add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper, and stir-fry until they are starting to soften.  Then add the entire package of stir fry veggies and continue to stir-fry.

4.  When veggies are warm and liquid is reduced, add the remaining ingredients to the skillet and taste.  Add more curry paste, soy sauce, or sugar as needed.  When the entire dish is hot, add the eggs and the rice and stir until everything is well-coated and blended.

5.  If I have them, I like to top with scallions and chopped peanuts.