Chinese food for any day

Before we moved overseas, I attempted many times at Chinese food. I found it to be entirely intimidating...and most always ended in a plate of mushy, soggy food. After 5 years, I'm finally to the point where my dishes turn out...but only if I stick to the simplest of dishes. So I thought I would share a step by step on fried rice...a favorite of our kids!

First make a big pot of pice. I usually make about 4 cups of (dry) rice if it's just the kids and me, or add another 2 cups if Tim around. Always better to have too much than too little! You can make it up to a couple of days ahead. Use whatever kind of rice you like...just not instant. I'm not sure that anyone over here even knows that there is such a thing! It just won't do!

Next, vegetables. I'm using carrots and cucumber. Cucumbers here a bit different. You can use scallions, peas, fine cut broccoli or cabbage...whatever your family with eat. You'll also need garlic and ginger. Finely chop the garlic or press it and shred the ginger. I couldn't find ginger yesterday, so I used powder as a last resort. Fresh ginger is much better. You only need about an inch piece, peeled. A little goes a long way. In the grocery store, don't be shy about breaking off only what you need. I heard Martha Stewart recommend doing that, and have done it ever since, because I only use it every once in a while.

I used one and a half chicken breasts. First, I sliced them and then chopped it more finely.

Mix the chicken with soy sauce(NOT lite), and if you can find it Mushroom soy sauce, garlic and ginger. Let sit while you stir fry the veggies.

I once heard a Taiwanese chef on tv say that it is stir fry not "stare fry." The key is to constantly move it and not to cook too long, maybe 3 minutes at most! I only used a bit of oil for this part.

Pull the vegetables, add more oil and stir fry up the chicken. Make sure it cooks through...still will only take about 5-7 mins.

Put the chicken in with the vegetables in the separate bowl. Fry up some scrambled eggs, I used 2, with a bit of soy sauce. And add to the chicken and vegetables.

Now, add quite a bit of oil. I would say a quarter of a cup to a half a cup. I know it's not low fat...nothing here is! Add the rice and stir until its been well coated with the oil.

Then add soy sauce and mushroom soy sauce (again it's not necessary, but it makes the dish look quite a bit darker, so if you don't have it, yours should look a lot lighter.)

Stir fry until well mixed, then add all your other stuff.

Mix well.

And eat!

The key is to work at it bit by bit. I hope you enjoy!