Fried Rice

Soy sauce, chile paste, edamame and tofu transform plain leftover white rice into golden brown fried rice that's good enough for company ... not that you'd want to share. I wonder how many pint-size paper cartons of leftover Chinese restaurant take-out rice are thrown away each year. Doesn't matter. That's over now. This recipe first appeared in EveryDayCook.

📝 Ingredients

• 4 ounces firm tofu
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 cups leftover cooked rice, preferably takeout
• 2 scallions, sliced
• 4 ounces shelled edamame, thawed if frozen
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons chile paste, such as sambal oelek
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, shredded

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch slices and wrap in three layers of paper towels. Then, sandwich the bundle between two plates, set a 28-ounce can of tomatoes on top, and leave at room temperature for 30 minutes. Unwrap and cube.
2. 2Heat the wok as hot as you can get it. If you turn off the lights, the bottom should glow…I am not kidding. When the wok is very hot, add the sesame oil (there will be smoke) and swirl to coat the pan. Immediately add the cold rice and fry, moving constantly, until the rice is golden, about 2 minutes.
3. 3Add the tofu, scallions, and edamame and fry until the scallions wilt, about another 2 minutes.
4. 4Add the soy sauce, chili paste, and basil, and fry for 1 minute more. Serve immediately.