Double Pork Fried Rice

This is perfect if you're craving some extra tasty and indulgent Asian takeout but don't want to spend 10 dollars a plate. This rice is called "double pork" fried rice because there is both tender sliced Chinese roast pork and bacon in the rice. It makes enough for 4 people and since the frying pan used in the pictures is too small for 3 cups cooked rice + pork and vegetables this fool proof method of stir frying for serving 2+ people at once has been developed. Cooking the components of the dish separately, and then combining as it is done is a way to make sure each part of the rice cooks perfectly, and maintains it's distinct flavor. Sound good? Here's how to make it:

Ingredients

4 slices bacon, chopped into bite sized pieces

1 celery stalk chopped

1/2 onion chopped

1 cup broccoli florets

1 lb Chinese roasted pork sliced very thin

3 cups cooked rice, cold. day old is best.

3 tbsp soy sauce

You definitely want all your ingredients ready and prepped before you start cooking for this meal. 

Fry bacon in the olive oil until just cooked.

Add in broccoli, fry 2 minutes (less if using frozen) and then add in onion and celery. Stir fry for 2 minutes and then make a well in the center of the pan. Add a teaspoon of vegetable oil if necessary and place ginger and garlic in the oil. Fry until you can smell the lovely aroma of garlic and ginger, about a minute. Remove garlic and ginger from pan. Stir fry everything for another 20 seconds, then remove from pan.

Add a tablespoon of oil to pan and then add in soy sauce, then rice. Stir fry breaking up rice as it cooks until it is a slightly darker color, for as long as 5 minutes. Rice should not begin burning. Dump into a bowl with the already cooked vegetables and stir.

Drop chopped pork into frying pan to warm through, adding the liquid from the pan they roasted in adds great flavor.

When pork is hot combine with rice and stir until everything is well combined. Quickly fry eggs in the now empty pan, breaking up and scrambling as it cooks. Combine with rice. Serve and enjoy!

Serves 4

Rice Cooker Spanish Yellow Rice

A great side for almost any protein imaginable. The rice cooker makes the rice come out perfect every single time.

Ingredients 

1 rice cooker cup of rice
fresh water
1 tbsp olive oil
half an onion diced very fine
half a pepper diced very fine
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 packet Sazon Goya

Saute onion and peppers in olive oil for 4 minutes or until softened.
Add in tomato paste and cook 2 minutes more to remove "raw taste".
Dump washed rice into rice cooker.
Add sauteed vegetables, stir until rice is coated.
Add enough water to reach 'line 1'.
Place chicken bouillon cube and Sazon in rice.
Cover rice, set rice cooker to "cook", and cook until done.
Fluff , put top back on rice and let sit for 4 minutes. Serve.
Serves 2.

Alternative Method ****

Try substituting the onion, peppers, and garlic for 3 tbsp of store bought or homemade sofrito .

Start With The Basics (Like Basic White Rice)

Learning how to cook can be like learning to ride a bike, it feels un-natural at first but as soon as your body has the rhythm down you have a lifelong skill. Starting with a dish as simple as plain rice is great because not only does it go with almost any protein, vegetable, or legume...it's also a cinch to make! Here's how:


1 cup long grain rice
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoon butter or oil (optional) 


Directions: 
1 In a saucepan with a lid ready bring water, salt and butter to a boil. 
2 Add rice and stir for one minute. 
3 Cover and reduce heat to medium low, if there's nuclear-cloud-sized steam leaking from your pot, you should probably set it to low. 
4 Cook for 20 minutes, without removing lid.
5 Remove from heat and fluff with fork. Cover pot and let sit 5 minutes.