Since then, I love playing around with fried rice recipes (including this recipe, which is one of my all-time favorites.) It’s a great way to use up leftover rice, half-used red onions, and those colored bell peppers that you bought with great intentions a week ago and now you need to use up before you’re filled with $5 of regret. When we were in Hawaii a few years ago, we had Hawaiian fried rice for breakfast a few times–it was loaded up with things like fresh pineapple and bacon or ham (or Spam…don’t hate on it until you’ve tried it!). Throw in some scrambled eggs or top it off with a fried egg and you have an amazing breakfast (or dinner…or lunch…or late-night snack. This is anytime food.) You’ll need some chopped red onions, green onions (chop the whole bunch, but keep the firm ends separate from the green ends), some garlic, a red or orange bell pepper, some fresh pineapple, and about a cup of cooked, crumbled bacon or chopped ham. Or Spam.
You could also throw some mushrooms in there. I kind of wish I had. Hashtag regrets. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 4 teaspoons (1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon) olive oil. I used 2 teaspoons of our chili oil and 2 teaspoons of our garlic oil and it added just the right amount of heat and flavor. When hot, add the red onion, firm ends of the green onions, garlic, and bell pepper and sauté until the onions are fragrant and the peppers are tender crisp. While the veggies are cooking, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, and ginger. Set aside. Add the rice to the pan and stir to combine, cooking until the rice is heated through. Add the bacon or ham and cook until heated through. Add the soy sauce mixture and stir to combine. Add the green tops of the green onions and the pineapple and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and turn heat to low to keep warm. In a separate pan, cook eggs as desired (we’ve done scrambled and fried and I think we prefer them scrambled; if you fry the eggs, plan on frying at least 1 egg per person.) If you scramble the eggs, mix them in with the rice before serving. If frying, divide the rice into individual portions before serving, then top with an egg and serve immediately.
Makes 4-6 large servings. Be sure to grab our chili olive oil and garlic olive oil to really make this recipe pop!
