This recipe is one of Steve's favorite's meals that I make. He loves rice and all the ingredients in this dish add great flavors to the rice. It isn't a hard recipe, but there are a lot of steps. In all, it takes me about an hour from start to finish. It makes a lot, so it's good for a crowd or for lots of leftovers.
Singapore Chicken Fried Rice
recipe from Comfort Food magazine, January 2011
Ingredients:
3-4 T Canola oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 pkg (6oz) Canadian bacon, diced
bok choy, I use the tops mainly and just a bit of the stalks
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 tsp ginger, grated finely (peel before grating)
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
5 eggs, lightly beaten
2-3 tsp curry powder
4 cups cooked basmati rice
Soy sauce, to taste
Salt and pepper
Directions:
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil then add 2 cups of basmati rice and let it simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool until needed. Note: this will make more than the 4 cups of rice but anything less won't make enough. I put the leftover rice in a tupperware container for Steve to eat as he likes whenever.
While the rice is cooking, prep all the vegetable and heat 1 T of oil in a large skillet. When it's hot but not steaming, all the diced onion and Canadian bacon, salt and pepper lightly. Cook for a couple minutes then add the bok choy and a little salt and pepper. When the leaves have started to wilt, add the bell pepper, garlic, and grated ginger. Cook until vegetables are soft. Remove to a big bowl.
Add 1 T of oil to the same pan and let it get hot again. Lightly salt and pepper the chicken then add it to the pan. Cook for a few minutes until it is cooked through. Then add the chicken to the bowl of vegetables.
If there isn't any leftover oil in the pan, add 1 tsp and let it get hot. Add the beaten eggs, salt and pepper, and scramble them. Make sure not to overcook them - just cook until firm but still soft. When they're cooked, remove eggs to bowl with the chicken and vegetables.
Heat 1 T of oil in the same pan, mix in 2-3 tsp of curry powder and stir for a minute to infuse the oil with the curry. Sometimes, I add more oil and more curry powder because we like it kind of strong. By this time, the rice should be done and cooling though not cold. Measure out 4 cups and add to the pan. Stir the rice around the pan to evenly coat it with the curry oil then spread out evenly around the pan and let it sit for a few minutes to let the underside get a little crispy - maybe 4 minutes.
Return the vegetables, chicken, and egg to the pan and mix with the rice. Add soy sauce to taste and stir again. The recipe calls for 2 T but we like a lot more and double it or more. Add some then taste, add more if needed. Remember it's easier to add a little more than to try to take back if you've added too much. Cook the mixture for a couple more minutes then serve.
Like I said, it seems like a lot of work, but it's all really easy steps. The key is to have all your ingredients handy and prepped, then all you have to do is throw things into the pan as you need them. Also, don't forget to salt and pepper at all the steps. The recipe doesn't call for it and the first time we made it, we realized it was really under-seasoned.
Final note: Just tonight, Steve suggested adding a can of water chestnuts to the recipe and I agree that it would be really tasty. I'd add them at the same time as the bok choy so they'll have time to cook but won't become mushy.
I hope you give this dish a try. It's super flavorful and is a real one-dish meal. Enjoy!
Singapore Chicken Fried Rice
recipe from Comfort Food magazine, January 2011
Ingredients:
3-4 T Canola oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 pkg (6oz) Canadian bacon, diced
bok choy, I use the tops mainly and just a bit of the stalks
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 tsp ginger, grated finely (peel before grating)
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
5 eggs, lightly beaten
2-3 tsp curry powder
4 cups cooked basmati rice
Soy sauce, to taste
Salt and pepper
Directions:
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil then add 2 cups of basmati rice and let it simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool until needed. Note: this will make more than the 4 cups of rice but anything less won't make enough. I put the leftover rice in a tupperware container for Steve to eat as he likes whenever.
While the rice is cooking, prep all the vegetable and heat 1 T of oil in a large skillet. When it's hot but not steaming, all the diced onion and Canadian bacon, salt and pepper lightly. Cook for a couple minutes then add the bok choy and a little salt and pepper. When the leaves have started to wilt, add the bell pepper, garlic, and grated ginger. Cook until vegetables are soft. Remove to a big bowl.
Add 1 T of oil to the same pan and let it get hot again. Lightly salt and pepper the chicken then add it to the pan. Cook for a few minutes until it is cooked through. Then add the chicken to the bowl of vegetables.
If there isn't any leftover oil in the pan, add 1 tsp and let it get hot. Add the beaten eggs, salt and pepper, and scramble them. Make sure not to overcook them - just cook until firm but still soft. When they're cooked, remove eggs to bowl with the chicken and vegetables.
Heat 1 T of oil in the same pan, mix in 2-3 tsp of curry powder and stir for a minute to infuse the oil with the curry. Sometimes, I add more oil and more curry powder because we like it kind of strong. By this time, the rice should be done and cooling though not cold. Measure out 4 cups and add to the pan. Stir the rice around the pan to evenly coat it with the curry oil then spread out evenly around the pan and let it sit for a few minutes to let the underside get a little crispy - maybe 4 minutes.
Return the vegetables, chicken, and egg to the pan and mix with the rice. Add soy sauce to taste and stir again. The recipe calls for 2 T but we like a lot more and double it or more. Add some then taste, add more if needed. Remember it's easier to add a little more than to try to take back if you've added too much. Cook the mixture for a couple more minutes then serve.
Like I said, it seems like a lot of work, but it's all really easy steps. The key is to have all your ingredients handy and prepped, then all you have to do is throw things into the pan as you need them. Also, don't forget to salt and pepper at all the steps. The recipe doesn't call for it and the first time we made it, we realized it was really under-seasoned.
Final note: Just tonight, Steve suggested adding a can of water chestnuts to the recipe and I agree that it would be really tasty. I'd add them at the same time as the bok choy so they'll have time to cook but won't become mushy.
I hope you give this dish a try. It's super flavorful and is a real one-dish meal. Enjoy!