It’s been awhile since I made this meal, using a recipe from Christy over at Southern Plate (she recently added the recipe to her site, so we can all share in the glory!), and tonight was the perfect time. LeeLee and I returned home from work cold and shivering from a day whose temperature didn’t emerge from the teens, and both of us, wonder of wonders, had no pressing engagements to attend to. It was a perfect night for a fast-cooking (and easy-cleanup) meal!
Remember a few months ago, when I espoused the joy of finally learning to stir-fry? Well, as I heated the pan for tonight’s dinner, I suddenly became afraid that I’d lost my touch after a couple of months away from Asian cuisine. Thankfully, though, stir-frying must be like riding a bike; I hopped right back in where I’d left off!
As is my way, I made a few tweaks to the recipe – I subbed seitan for the chicken, obviously, and instead of using brown rice I used two bags of Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice, which worked just great in the fast-paced environment that was my kitchen experience tonight. Finally, the Safeway was out of store-bought shredded carrots (a shortcut I employ quite often!), so instead I purchased a regular old carrot, peeled it, and shredded it myself. In the process, I became a convert, and unless we’re using a multitude of shredded carrot for something, I’ll just buy a carrot and shred it myself going forward. Don’t know why I didn’t think of that before. :)
While the meal finished its time in the pan, I heated several egg rolls up in the microwave, and just a couple of minutes later we were sitting down to eat dinner! All told, the entire process probably took 15 minutes, including prep time – not a bad way to get a meal to the table!
And what a tasty meal it was! Christy has never steered me wrong, and our affinity for Asian food helped this dinner over the top. After the first time I used this recipe, I realized how easy fried rice was to make; after serving this again, I don’t know why I don’t make it more often!
:)