Fried Rice with Celery (stalks and leaves) ...from head to toe!!

Fried Rice with Celery (stalks and leaves)...when there is enough Celery salt in the kitchen to last us a lifetime and we are not in the mood for soup, this is one of the things where the leaves go...two options, take your pick J

Fried Rice with Celery (stalks and leaves)

Ingredients:

• Cooked day old rice, 2 cups (if using freshly boiled rice, ensure it is only about 95% done, water is drained out and it has cooled completely)
• Green peas, 1 cup ( if using frozen,thaw them first; if using fresh, blanch them for a minute or two in hot water) OR Bean Sprouts, 1 cup
• Garlic, finely chopped or minced, 1-2 cloves
• Scallions/ Spring Onions/Green Onions, finely chopped, 2-3, only the white portion
• Celery Stalks, finely chopped, 2-3
• Celery leaves, chopped, 1 cup
• Oil, 1 tbsp

Option 1: 

(The one pictured here is this option)

• Chilli Bean sauce, 1 tbsp for every cup of rice
• Brown Sugar, ½  tsp for every cup of rice
• Salt & White Pepper, to taste

 OR

Option 2:

• Light Soy sauce, ½ tsp for every cup of rice or Regular Soy sauce, ¼ tsp for every cup of rice
• Brown Sugar, a little less than ¼ tsp for every cup of rice (optional)
• Salt & White Pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Break up any large clumps of rice before you start cooking.

Heat a large wok on high heat for about a minute.

Swirl in the oil and heat it till it starts to shimmer.

Add in the garlic, scallions and chopped celery stalks and stir fry until fragrant.

Add the peas and quarter cup of celery leaves. Stir fry for a minute or so.

Add the sauce (chilli bean sauce or soy sauce) and sugar. Stir and let it cook for about 5-10 seconds.

Add the rice and the rest of the celery leaves (reserve some aside) and toss everything well together.

Stir and toss to mix until rice is well coated and heated through. Taste and add salt and pepper.

And done!! Top it up with the reserved celery leaves and serve hot!! 

Notes:

• Chilli Bean Paste is also known as “Toban Djan”. I use the Lee Kum Kee brand which is a little more garlicky than a couple of other brands that I have tried. A really good and must have addition for your kitchen if you cook Chinese often. If you don’t, you can try substituting with Sambal Oelek or any other Asian Chilli sauce.