Shiitake Fried Rice

I found out today that Jeremy now has classes Monday night, Tuesday night and Wednesday night. I wasn't too happy to hear this. When I'm home alone, I'm very tempted not to cook. I'll either not eat or I'll make myself a bagel or just eat a bowl of cereal. Needless to say, the box of Mini-Wheats still on the table from breakfast this morning was looking pretty darn good. Then I remembered that I'd bought all the ingredients for this yummy dish and told myself that I don't need a husband to eat good, healthy food. Plus he was pretty excited to come home to some yummy fried rice. This homemade version of the Chinese stanby is a great way to use up leftover rice. This recipe is a little different in that, instead of cooking the egg directly with the rice, you prepare it like an omelet and then slice it up and fold it in with the rice. Lots of fresh, clean ingredients in this dish - the vinegar and freshly peeled ginger give it some nice zingy flavours. Happy cooking and bon appétit!


Ingredients:
- 1 3/4 cups water
- coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1 tbs. oil 
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced diagonally
- 10 oz. shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps thinly sliced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp. minced peeled fresh ginger
- 6 oz. snow peas, stem ends and any strings removed
- 2-3 tbs. soy sauce
- 2 tbs. rice vinegar
- chicken if so desired, diced


Directions:
1. Make your rice.
2. While rice is cooking, heat 1 tsp. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add eggs; swirl to coat bottom of pan. Cook, without stirring, until set, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, thinly slice into strips.
3. Pan fry chicken with small serving olive oil, add onion and cook until soft and fragrant. Add carrots; cook, stirring until beginning to brown (4-6 minutes). Add mushrooms; cook, stirring until tender (3-5 minutes). Stir in garlic, ginger and snow peas; cook until the peas are bright green and crisp-tender, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Add cooked rice rice, soy sauce and vinegar; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in the sliced egg and serve.