Fried Rice

Vegetables from the supermarket salad bar get an Asian spin. Start with purchased wonton soup, and serve a mixed green salad with ginger vinaigrette alongside the rice. Sliced pineapple with coconut sorbet is the perfect finish. Look for hoisin at Asian markets and in the Asian foods section of most supermarkets.

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 9‚ hr

Nasi goreng, which is Indonesian for fried rice, is a staple in Indonesia. It's delicious on its own for lunch or as a side dish for an Asian-style dinner.

This dish is equally delicious prepared with turkey, seafood, beef, or pork.

The secret of making fried rice lies in the use of cold, cooked rice. Freshly cooked rice will only produce a sticky mess.

Remember, you absolutely cannot make delicious fried rice using freshly cooked rice! If you cook the rice yourself (a day to a week ahead), buy long-grain (Carolina) rice and follow the package directions for making drier rice. Otherwise, use leftover Chinese take-out rice.

A salad of snow peas, bean sprouts, chopped peanuts and rice vinegar dressing is a good side dish. Fresh pineapple topped with coconut shavings ends the meal nicely.

For this recipe you may use whatever mushrooms you happen to have on hand. Serve the dish as an accompaniment to grilled or roasted meats, seafood, or chicken or with soup as a light lunch or dinner.

<p>This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.</p> <p>This recipe is a super way to use up leftover white rice from Chinese takeout�or substitute <epi:recipeLink id"100911">Long-grain Rice</epi:recipeLink>.

This dish is a wonderful accompaniment to grilled, steamed, or stir-fried seafood. Topped with diced steamed sweet potato or winter squash, it makes a satisfying light meal on its own.

This is an adaptation of the Cantonese classic. In China fried rice is seasoned with salt rather than soy sauce (which darkens the grains). However, a bit of soy sauce for extra flavor is nice.

Cold cooked rice (made at least 1 day ahead) is the secret to delicious fried rice, so don't cook a fresh pot for this recipe.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

For an especially quick and easy meal, buy prepared Chinese barbecued pork loin (3/4 pound will be plenty). This pink-tinged meat is available at many Asian supermarkets—or you may even be able to purchase it from your neighborhood Chinese restaurant.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe is a great use for cold leftover rice. Order extra rice with Chinese takeout or make a double batch of your own one night — you can keep it, chilled, up to 1 week. Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 35 min

One of my favorite meals was made by finding some leftover meat or fish and some cooked rice, and tossing them in a skillet with whatever caught our fancy. When you're good and hungry, a mixed-up quick meal tastes every bit as good as any long pot [long-cooked dish]. And you don't have to wait.

This makes a delicious luncheon entrée with a salad.