Egg fried rice is one of my favourite things to eat because it is so simple but so tasty! It’s also a fantastic way to use up leftover rice if you have made too much accidentally. This BBC Good Food recipe makes use of spring greens, though at home I used swiss chard specifically. You can replace the greens with whatever you have handy, or is seasonal – like kale, bok choi, spinach etc. Crack a fried egg on top, add some sriracha if you like it hot and serve with some smoked tofu on the side, if you want to make it more substantial. In my case, this was the perfect excuse to use up some delicious hazelnut smoked tofu my friend Dave brought me and it worked a treat! Recipe below.

More dishes with rice: Piri-piri chicken with rice | Roast pumpkin, sage & taleggio risotto

Fried rice with greens & eggs

Serves 2 | Prep 5 mins | Cook 15 mins
Easy | Vegetarian | Dairy-Free

Egg-Fried-Rice-7

You’ll need:

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil;
  • 3 eggs, 1 beaten;
  • bunch of spring onions, chopped into 3cm lengths, tops finely sliced to serve;
  • 1 green chilli, chopped;
  • 2cm chunk of ginger, grated;
  • 1 garlic clove, grated;
  • 150g greens, shredded (I used swiss chard, but it also works with spring greens, bok choi, kale, whole spinach or other greens);
  • 250g leftover rice or packet ready-cooked rice;
  • 1 ½ tbsp soy sauce, plus extra to taste;
  • sesame seeds, toasted, to serve.

Heat a splash of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat. When hot, crack the eggs in and turn the heat down. This should make the eggs nice and crispy – without burning – while the yolks cook. Use a fish slice to remove, set aside on kitchen paper and cover with foil to keep warm.

Add the remaining oil to the pan, then scatter in the chopped spring onions, chilli, ginger and garlic and gently fry until softened, about 2-3 mins. Tip in the beaten egg and leave for 30 seconds until just set, then mash up with a spoon. Tip in the greens with a splash of water and cook until wilted. Add the rice and soy sauce and mix everything together, then season and tip into two bowls. Top with the eggs, sliced spring onion and sesame seeds to serve. I topped mine with Sunshine Tea Lounge‘s chilli sauce but you can also top with any hot chilli sauce or add tofu for a more substantial meal.

Adapted from a BBC Good Food, issue April 2018, available online here.