Stir-Fried Brown Rice with Poblano Chiles and Edamame
Stir-fry guru Grace Young suggests brown rice for vegetarian stir-fries, and she’s right: the rich nutty flavor and chewy texture make for a very satisfying meal. The trick to successful fried rice, whether you use brown or white rice, is to cook the rice a day ahead and refrigerate. Cold rice will not clump together.
2 fresh poblano chiles
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon peanut or canola oil
4 large eggs, beaten
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons minced ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped scallions
4 cups cooked brown rice (2 cups uncooked)
1 cup fresh or thawed frozen edamame
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 to 2 tablespoons soy sauce (to taste)
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1. Roast the poblano chiles over an open flame or under a broiler, turning often until uniformly charred. Place in a bowl, cover tightly and allow to cool. Remove the charred skins, rinse briefly if necessary and pat dry. Cut in half, remove seeds and membranes, and cut into 2-inch strips. Set aside near your wok. It’s best to wear plastic gloves when handling the chiles.
2. Beat two of the eggs in a bowl, and season to taste with salt. Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates from the surface in a second or two. Add 2 teaspoons of the oil to the sides of the pan and tilt the pan to distrbute. Making sure that the bottom of the wok is covered with oil, carefully pour in the eggs. Cook for about 30 seconds or until the eggs set, tilting the pan so that the eggs spread out into a thin pancake. Once the pancake is set and beginning to color, flip it over with a metal spatula, and allow to cook for five seconds. Remove to a cutting board, and roll up the pancake. Cut into thin strips, and set aside. Repeat with the other 2 eggs.
3. Add the remaining oil to the wo, and then the ginger, garlic and scallions. Stir-fry 10 seconds. Add the rice, roasted poblano strips and edamame. Stir-fry for two minutes, scooping up and breaking up the rice, then pressing it into the pan and scooping it up again. Add the egg strips, cilantro, soy sauce, salt to taste and pepper. Stir-fry another 30 seconds to combine. Remove from the heat and serve.
Variation: For a version that isn’t vegetarian, you can substitute fish sauce for the soy sauce.
Advance preparation: The rice can be cooked up to four days ahead of serving. The poblanos can be roasted up to three days ahead.
per serving (four servings): 392 calories; 2 grams saturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 186 milligrams cholesterol; 55 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams dietary fiber; 190 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 19 grams protein