Mixed Rice

Name: Mixed Rice
Yield: serves 3 or 4 as a light main course, or 6 with 2 or 3 other dishes
Ingredients: 1/4 cup water; 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar; 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch matchsticks (1 cup); 2 cups long-grain rice; 1 tablespoon canola or other neutral oil; 2 scallions, white and green parts, chopped; 2 cups chopped cooked meat and/or shrimp (pea-sized pieces); Salt; 2 or 3 thin Egg Sheets (page 320), quartered and cut into fine strips; Fish sauce, light (regular) soy sauce, and/or Maggi Seasoning sauce

December 14, 2011

Anyone who has tried to cook Chinese fried rice knows how challenging it can be to do it well. While the Vietnamese repertoire has a number of fried rice dishes, it also includes an easier alternative called com tron, freshly cooked rice tossed with a handful of ingredients. In this recipe, you can use whatever meats or seafood you have on hand, such as Char Siu Pork (page 142), any Vietnamese sausage (see chapter 6), roast chicken, grilled pork, or shrimp, along with bell pepper, egg strips, and scallion to create a beautiful mixture of colors, shapes, and textures.

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