Anne BralyI’ve been addicted to ham fried rice since my teenage years when my mother had some ham left over from a party and was trying to decide what to do with it. My dad loved anything made with rice, so the result was a marriage made in food heaven – ham fried rice that beat any fried rice available in Chinese restaurants at the time. Since then, I’ve always served it with white sauce that’s better than any I’ve had in Japanese restaurants, and it’s good as a sauce on just about any meat, vegetable or sandwich.
I’ve never had a better fried rice. Maybe it was that my mother made it, and I consider it comfort food. I was talking to Ben Park, chef at Flying Squirrel, a while back, and he said there was no better comfort food than his mother’s Hamburger Helper. Laugh if you must, but some foods spark beloved memories, and in his case, just thinking about Hamburger Helper takes him to a happy place. For me, it’s my momma’s pizza from a Chef Boyardee box – which I don’t even know if they make anymore – and this fried rice.
There’s nothing new or complicated about it. It uses just about any vegetables you have on hand. The sesame oil imparts a wonderful depth of flavor, and while it’s not a staple in many kitchens, it’s worth investing in a bottle. It will last for quite some time if kept refrigerated. Olive or vegetable oil works fine in its place, though.
Order ahead and pick up rice from a Chinese restaurant on your way home to save time. And to simplify dinner even further, pick up some egg rolls. You’ll have dinner on the table in a matter of minutes. Of course you can substitute any leftover meat – steak, chicken or shrimp. But there’s something about that ham. It brings a smile to my face just thinking about it. The white sauce is my addition. It’s good on anything, particularly this stir-fry, which is perfect for using up the rest of any Christmas ham hanging out in your freezer.
Ham Fried Rice
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2-2 cups chopped ham
1 1/2 cups frozen or fresh vegetables, such as snow peas, broccoli, celery and carrots, thawed
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3 cups cooked rice
4-5 tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste
2 tablespoons chopped green onions (optional)
White sauce:
1 1/4 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Dash or two of cayenne pepper
Heat a large skillet or wok to medium heat. Pour sesame oil in the bottom. Add onion, chopped ham, peas and carrots, and fry until tender.
Push the onion, ham and vegetables to the side; pour the beaten eggs onto the other side. Using a spatula, scramble the eggs. Once cooked, mix the eggs with the vegetable mix. Add the rice to the vegetable-ham-egg mixture. Pour the soy sauce on top. Stir and fry the rice and veggie mixture until heated through and combined. Add chopped green onions if desired, and serve with white sauce. Makes 4-6 servings.
To make white sauce: Whisk together all ingredients, blending thoroughly until smooth. Refrigerate for several hours to thicken and allow flavors to blend. Store, covered, in refrigerator.
Contact Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com.