If you are looking for a gourmet fried rice recipe, this is it. It uses fresh shiitake mushrooms and cooked brown rice but is garnished with strips of nori paper for a unique touch. If you're not familiar with nori, it's the seaweed sheets that is used in making sushi. It should be available in the Asian section of your supermarket. Alternately, garnish with black sesame seeds.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
12 fresh medium shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps julienned
4 scallions, root and dark green ends trimmed, and 6-inch stalks thinly sliced into rounds
4 cups day-old cooked brown rice, refrigerated overnight and crumbled
1 1/2 tablespoon Japanese dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 large Nori paper, julienned into 1-inch-long strips
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok over high heat. Stir-fry the shiitakes and scallions until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer them to a plate.
Add the remaining oil and the rice to the wok, then the soy sauce and mirin, and stir-fry until the grains are heated through, dry and separate, about 20 minutes.
Return the mushrooms and scallions to the wok, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, and stir-fry to distribute evenly. Divide among plates or bowls, and garnish each serving with a sprinkle or two of black sesame seeds or julienned nori.
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reviews & comments
June 13, 2009
This fried rice was outstanding! First, we liked that it used brown rice (since we try to eat more of that than white). Second, the addition of the shiitake mushrooms really added nice flavor and texture. And of course, the garnish of nori paper and black sesame seeds added visual appeal. A keeper!