Weekly Recipe: Pineapple Fried Rice

Sometimes I think I could be a vegetarian.  That's something I never thought I'd be saying but I really prefer vegetables to meat.  When I eat, I like to make my last bite a bite of my favorite part of the meal.  If there's bread involved, that usually fits the bill but if not, it's almost always going to be a vegetable.  

Several months ago I was watching some cooking program (maybe even last season's Top Chef) and the chef caramelized some pineapple.  I can't remember the details of it but it involved roasting in the oven, I think, and the end result left the judges swooning.  So when I came across this recipe from Ashley at the Edible Perspective, I knew I wanted to give it a try. 

I loved the how the soy sauce added to the cooked pineapple gave it a nice sweet and savory contrast.  The sauce leftover from this cooking method really makes the dish.  With the hearty vegetables in the rice, who needs meat?!  

**The only adaptation I made was to sub in additional sunflower oil in place of the coconut oil in the Pineapple Sauce.

 

Pineapple Fried Rice
by:  The Edible Perspective

• 2c short or long grain brown rice + 4c water
• 3/4lb/12oz sugar snap peas
• 1c carrots, thinly sliced
• 2c bell pepper, sliced
• 1c bean sprouts
• 1, 8oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained
• 1/2T toasted sesame oil
• 2.5-3T tamari/Bragg’s/soy sauce
• 2T water
• 2T apple cider vinegar
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2T ginger, minced
• 3-4T sunflower oil
• 2 eggs
• hot sauce, like sriracha [optional]

1. In a large pot, add 1T oil over medium heat.  Once heated, add brown rice and brown for 5-7min, stirring a few times, until just starting to brown.  Add 4c of water, bring to a boil, stir once, reduce heat to simmer + cover for 50min.  DO NOT stir or uncover while cooking.  After 50min, take the rice off the burner [still covered!] and let sit for 10min, then fluff with a fork.
2. Over med-high heat, add 1T oil to a large pan.  Once hot, add sugar snap peas, peppers, + bean sprouts.  Stir every few minutes, until crisp + lightly browned.  ~6-8min
3. Reduce heat to med-low, add ginger, garlic, water chestnuts + carrots, stir for 1-2min and empty into a large bowl.
4. In the same pan that you cooked the veggies in, add 1-2T oil and heat over medium. 
5. Add the rice, tamari [or soy sauce], water and vinegar.  Let cook for about 5-7min, stirring every minute or so.
6. If cooking eggs, whisk 2 in a bowl.  Create a well in the middle of the rice, add the egg in and cook like scrambled eggs.
7. Fold the rice and eggs together.
8. Combine the rice + veggies together, in a large bowl, with the toasted sesame oil. 
9. Taste and add more tamari + sesame oil if needed.
10. Top individual portions with the pineapple sauce, sesame seeds, green onion, nori, etc.

Pineapple Sauce

• 4c chopped pineapple
• 2t tamari/Bragg’s/soy sauce
• 2t apple cider vinegar
• 1.5T coconut oil

1. Right after emptying the veggies into a bowl, in step 3, add the coconut oil to a cast iron skillet [or pan/pot] over med-high heat.
2. Once hot, add pineapple, tamari + vinegar, stirring occasionally, until the pineapple is golden brown.  ~6-10min
3. Top on rice.