Our Veggie Kitchen

I participate in a sort of Iron Chef Competition on one of the cooking forums I visit. Last week's ingredient was mushrooms. So I went shopping with mushrooms on my mind and found a pound of Shiitake mushrooms for five bucks. They were thick and meaty and there was no way I could pass them up.

So this fried rice is the result of that discovery. Fried rice can be as simple as rice, frozen veggies and soy sauce, but I usually try to add a little extra flavor to the sauce. I usually add some combination of minced garlic, ginger and shallots, doused in sesame oil, then stir in some soy sauce, sherry and, sometimes, a little broth. I added bok choy for some crispiness and color.



Shiitake Fried Rice
1 1/2 cups white rice (5-6 cups cooked)
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 lb shiitake mushrooms, stems removed & sliced (or see note)
1 purple onion, chopped
4 ribs bok choy, chopped (leaves sliced into ribbons)
1 can baby corn, drained
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ginger, minced
1 tsp sesame oil
Sauce:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup vegetable broth
2 tbs sherry
1/2 tbs sugar

For the rice, cook according to package directions and cool in the fridge, or use leftover rice. I frequently avoid this step and just used freshly cooked rice, but leftovers are better.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the onion and saute just until it begins to glisten. Add the mushrooms and chopped bok choy ribs (not the leaves) and saute until the bok choy is cooked, but still crisp. Remove any thick veins from the bok choy leaves and slice into ribbons. Add the leaves and corn and stir together.

Push the veggies to the side. Add the minced garlic and ginger to the center of the pan and pour in the sesame oil. Stir in the center of pan until fragrant, then stir into the veggies. Add the rice and stir-fry for a couple minutes. Mix the sauce ingredients, then add to the rice. Remove from heat and serve.

Mushroom Note: Shiitake mushrooms are usually very expensive ($10+/lb). You can cut the cost by buying dried shiitakes and rehydrating them or by using a mixture of shiitake and button mushrooms. Try to use some, though. Shiitake mushrooms have a texture that is quite different from other mushrooms. Asian grocers are often much less expensive than other stores.

4 Servings: 451 cal (9g fat, 76g carbs, 15g protein)