Kale, pak choy and broccoli with garlic fried rice recipe
Fried rice is a stir-fry standby that never fails to disappoint. This version uses crispy garlic and fries everything else in the garlic-infused oil.
Intriguingly, the carbs in rice (and potatoes) change when they are cooked and cooled, turning into resistant starch – the kind our gut microbes love. Always cool cooked rice quickly, transferring it to the fridge as soon as possible, or less-friendly microbes may colonise it.
Ingredients
For the stir-fry- 1 large head garlic, cloves peeled and finely chopped (pulse in a food processor to save time and garlicky fingers)
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 8 –10 spring onions, light green and white parts thinly sliced, green parts thinly sliced and reserved to serve
- 100 g kale, ribs removed, roughly chopped
- 100 g Tenderstem broccoli, sliced into even-sized batons
- 1 pak choy, thick stems removed, sliced the same size as the broccoli
- 800 g chilled day-old rice (start with 265g/9oz uncooked rice)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce/tamari (choose gluten-free if needed)
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce/tamari (choose gluten-free if needed)
- 1 pinch salt
- 4 drizzles of sesame oil
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- 4 drizzles of sriracha
Details
- Cuisine: British
- Recipe Type: Rice
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 10 mins
- Cooking Time: 10 mins
- Serves: 4
Step-by-step
- To make the crispy garlic, lightly season the chopped garlic with salt.
- In a small pan, heat the oil over a medium heat. Add the garlic and fry until very slightly browned and crispy, 2–3 minutes. The garlic should be gently bubbling, not spitting – reduce the heat if needed. Keep watch as the garlic can easily burn and turn bitter. Once the garlic is crispy, drain immediately, reserving the oil. Transfer the garlic to a plate lined with kitchen paper, to cool.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the garlic oil in a large wok or frying pan over a high heat. When smoking hot, add the spring onions, kale, broccoli and pak choy. Season lightly with salt.
- Stir-fry, tossing constantly, until softened and fragrant, 2–3 minutes. Add more garlic oil as needed to prevent sticking. Transfer to a plate.
- Add another tablespoon of garlic oil to the same pan. Add the rice and break up any clumps with a wooden spoon. Stir-fry until the rice is broken up and softened, 1–2 minutes.
- Return the vegetables to the pan and add the soy sauce/tamari, dark soy sauce/tamari and sugar. Toss to combine and fry for a further minute.
- Divide between four bowls and top generously with crispy garlic and sliced spring onion greens. Serve with a drizzle of sesame oil, lime wedges and sriracha.
This recipe is from Leon Happy Guts: Recipes to Help You Live Better by Rebecca Seal and John Vincent. Published by Conran (£16.99).
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