Fried 'Rice'

This week I am posting from sunny California! We are out visiting some friends and I am hoping for some inspiration for new recipes. Before we left town I made my dish for this week’s blog - my take on fried rice.

Since this month we are focusing on Summer Starters and Sides, I decided to use couscous instead of rice. Couscous is great year round, but we really love it in the summer because it is so light. Also, it is quick cooking, so fits in nicely with the theme of not wanting to spend a lot of time in the kitchen when it is so nice out.

Every time I make couscous, my husband says ‘The food so nice they named it twice’. Corny, but makes me laugh. I think he heard it on some comedy movie.  Couscous is a pasta and comes in two varieties - regular and Israeli, also known as pearl. Regular is smaller by nature (the one on the left) and takes even less time to cook than the already quick cooking Israeli variety (the one on the right). For this dish, I chose to use the Israeli variety because it is a little heartier and I thought it would hold up nicely in this dish.

Fried ‘Rice’
Servings 4-6

Ingredients:

Pearl couscous, 1 cup uncooked
Beef broth, 1 ¼ c
Egg, 2
Carrot, 2
Garlic, 1 clove minced
Frozen peas, 1 cup
Ham, 6 deli slices
Green onion, 3 large
Soy sauce, 3 T
Cilantro, 2-3 T
Lime, 1

Bring broth to a boil, add couscous. Cover pot, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 8 minutes, stiring occasionally. When done cooking, the liquid should be absorbed.

Better Bonus Tip: Use broth or half broth, half water when cooking any grain to infuse extra flavor during the cooking process.

While couscous is cooking, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Using the largest slots on a box grater, shred two carrots. I don’t like to get to close to the end of the carrot with the grater, so I end up grating two carrots, ¾ of the way down. Also, chop both the white and green parts of three large green onions. 

Next, layer all of the ham slices on top of each other. Using a knife, make strips and then slice the other directions so you end up with equal size square pieces of ham.

Crack two eggs into a bowl and whisk with a fork. Heat a pan to medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Add eggs and cook for 30 seconds - 1 minute, breaking up into pieces as the egg scrambles. Remove egg and set aside.

Next, add a couple tablespoons of oil to the pan and add carrots, green onion, frozen peas and ham. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Add minced garlic to pan and cook for additional 30 seconds. 

Increase heat to medium high, add cooked couscous, egg and 3 T soy sauce. Cook for additional 2 minutes until flavors well combined.

Top with couple tablespoons of chopped cilantro and juice of one lime.

Better Bonus Tip: This is great as a side dish with your favorite teriyaki marinated protein, but would also be great by its self as a light summer meal.  


See you next week!


~Ashley