Special Fried Rice

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons canola oil , plus more as needed
• 2 large eggs
• 0.5 teaspoons water
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• ½ onion , diced
• 1 clove garlic , minced
• 0.25 cups frozen peas and carrots , thawed and patted dry with paper towel
• 2 cups cold cooked jasmine rice
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce , Optional
• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 0.5 teaspoons white sugar
• 0.5 teaspoons salt , or to taste
• 0.5 teaspoons ground white pepper , or to taste
• 0.5 teaspoons monosodium glutamate , MSG
• 0.25 cups chopped fresh cilantro , Optional
• 4 tablespoons chopped green onion , or to taste, divided
• 1 cucumber (Optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat 2 teaspoons canola oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat until smoking. Beat eggs and water together in a bowl until smooth, then pour into the skillet. Cook eggs in hot oil briefly to begin to firm, then scramble lightly with a wooden spoon until cooked and shiny, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove cooked eggs to a plate.

2. 2

   Pour 1 teaspoon sesame oil into the same skillet. Add enough canola oil to cover the cooking surface and heat to smoking. Sauté onion and garlic in hot oils until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes; add peas and carrots and cook until hot, 1 to 2 minutes more. Return cooked eggs to the skillet.

3. 3

   Gradually add rice to the skillet, tossing chunks to break into individual grains and mixing with vegetables; cook and stir until rice starts to turn a light brown color and is completely hot, 2 to 3 minutes.

4. 4

   Stir Sriracha sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, salt, white pepper, and monosodium glutamate into rice mixture; continue to cook and stir until rice grains no longer stick together, 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove the skillet from heat. Sprinkle cilantro and 2 tablespoons green onion over rice; toss to mix.

5. 5

   Peel cucumber skin with a vegetable shredder to create a ragged design on the outside. Slice cucumber diagonally and arrange in a circle around a serving platter. Serve fried rice in the middle of the platter; top with remaining 2 tablespoons green onion and additional white pepper.