Really Good Chinese-style Fried Rice (Gluten-Free)

Like many folks, fried rice was one of the first Asian dishes I learned to love as a child. Something about the savory steaming fluffy rice, the tiny peas and carrots, the bits of egg, the meat or, my preference, the shrimp coming together to create a tasty dish that continues please me to this day.

Like many folks, when I went gluten-free, I gave up soy sauce just to be safe. Even though much evidence suggests that soy sauce is safe for people on a gluten-free diet, I have kind of stuck to my old ways and generally avoid soy sauce unless I can be sure it is gluten-free. This means that I have occasionally had to forgo this favorite when ordering Chinese food.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A12):
Below is a recipe for a delicious, restaurant-style gluten-free fried rice that will put smiles on the faces of your lucky eaters.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cold cooked rice, (Ideally, a medium grained rice that is not too sticky)
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ½ cup chopped carrots
• ½ cup frozen green peas, thawed
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1½ cups fresh bean sprouts
• ½ cup celery, chopped (optional)
• 1 tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce, plus more for seasoning
• 3 drops sesame oil (optional, but recommended)
• 4 ounces cooked lean boneless pork, ham, chicken and/or beef, chopped (as desired)
• 6-8 shrimp, cleaned, shelled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon rice wine or 1 tablespoon dry sherry

Directions:

Heat butter and 1 tablespoon of oil in wok. Add chopped onions and stir-fry until onions turn a nice brown color, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic in the last 2 minutes of cooking.

Allow wok to cool slightly.

Mix egg with 3 drops of soy and 3 drops of sesame oil; set aside.

Add ½ tbsp oil to wok, and swirl to coat the cooking surface;

Add the egg mixture and swirl quickly until the egg until egg sets against wok; when egg puffs, flip egg and cook other side briefly.

Remove the egg from wok, and chop into small pieces.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in wok; add selected meat or shrimp to wok, along with carrots, peas, cooked green onion and garlic; stir-fry for 2 minutes. Feel free to add chopped cabbage, broccoli, Chinese greens, or bok choy, along with the shrimp, ham, etc., and the peas.

Add rice, green onions, and bean sprouts, and rice wine, tossing to mix well, and stir-fry for 3 minutes.

Add 2 tbsp of gluten-free soy sauce and chopped egg to rice mixture and fold in; stir-fry for 1 minute more. Serve.