Vegetable Fried Rice

Vegetable Fried Rice is usually offered as an entree menu item at most Chinese restaurants that can be eaten as a side dish instead of steam rice. It takes a few more minutes of preparation and cooking, but is worth the effort. It turns low fiber white rice into higher fiber side dish or which meal that is very low in sodium if you go easy on the soy sauce.

Fried rice is made using leftover rice. You can use fresh cooked rice. Drain it well and let it cool or refrigerate until cold.

Long grain rice like converted, parboiled, jasmine or other long grain rice works best. Use rice that does not stick like sushi, arborio rice and other short grain rice.

Use this recipe as a starting point. You can make vegetable fried rice dozens of ways using any of your favorite vegetables like:

• French style green beans
• Green peas
• Corn
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Snow peas

Use you imagination and enjoy this simple recipe anytime.

Selecting Soy Sauce

Soy sauce is a fermented liquid made from wheat and soy. Regardless of the name, soy sauce is not gluten free unless it specifically states so on the bottle.

Soy sauce is high in sodium. One tablespoon of regular soy sauce has 800mg or more of sodium. About one-third teaspoon of salt per tablespoon of soy sauce.

Reduced sodium sauce has less sodium, but the amount is based on a brands regular soy sauce. For example brand A claims its reduced sodium soy sauce has 37% less sodium. The reduction is compared to their full sodium soy sauce. The actual sodium content of one brand can be more or less than another brand. You must check the nutrition facts label for the actual sodium content of you are concerned about sodium in your diet.

This nutrition values for this recipe are based on a brand that has 575 mg of sodium per tablespoon. If you use regular soy sauce, add 60 mg of sodium per serving. The difference is small.

Not all soy sauces are created equal. Some brands obtain their dark color by using caramel color a common food additive.

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (100 g) cooked long grain rice
• 8 oz. (225 g) cabbage (green or red), thinly sliced
• 1/2 (150 g) medium bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 3 oz. (85 g) bamboo shoot, thinly sliced
• 2 (112 g) carrots, peeled and shredded
• 2 oz. (56 g) water chestnuts, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoons (3 g) fresh ginger root, grated or diced
• 1 (100 g) bunch green onions, sliced think including greens
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon ( 5 ml) Chinese chili paste (sambal oelek) optional

Method of Preparation