Ilene’s [Mock] Fried Rice

Apparently substituting riced cauliflower for actual rice has been the new best thing for months. When my sister Ilene asked me if I’d tried using Trader Joe’s frozen riced cauliflower, I told her I had no idea what she was talking about. Now that I think about it, I had been seeing what looked like grated cauliflower in the produce section at Whole Foods and wondering to myself what on earth people used that for.

Now I know and OMG this recipe is genius. Ilene texted it to me and I can’t tell where she got it from, but I’ve adapted it, and you should feel free to do the same. It's very forgiving.

I expect that I’ll be seeing all kinds of cauliflower ricers popping up online and at Williams Sonoma. I’d buy one.

HOW TO MAKE IT

1. In a large pan, saute garlic and onions in olive oil on a medium/high heat until the onions become soft and transparent (2-3 minutes)

2. Add peas, carrots, mushrooms, water chestnuts until carrots begin to soften (3-4 minutes)

3. Stir in scrambled eggs, cauliflower, and soy sauce. Cook, stirring frequently for about 5-7 minutes, adding Mirin rice wine if desired

Variations: Feel free to add in your own favorite protein such as tofu, shrimp, chicken, as well as veggies, including bok choy, kale, broccoli, cabbage, bell pepper

 

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 tbls olive oil
  • 1/2 large onion, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/2 cup frozen or fresh peas
  • 1/2 cup carrots, thinly sliced
  • 8 ounce can water chestnuts, sliced
  • 2 eggs, scrambled
  • 3 cups raw grated cauliflower (I found fresh grated cauliflower at Whole Foods - or you could use one bag of frozen riced cauliflower from Trader Joe’s. Ilene defrosts the cauliflower first. If you use the frozen variety, the texture of the final product will not be as crispy
  • 3 tbls soy sauce
  • splash Mirin rice wine, if desired
Carolee WalkerComment