Special Fried Rice is a Chinese inspired protein-packed side dish that incorporates leftover meat for a rugby player’s bulking needs.

Fried rice works best with day-old rice because it clumps together better. That said, my teen asks for this dish regularly and I’ve often made it with fresh rice when cooking on the hoof so know that’s also fine if you haven’t planned in advance.

Usually this dish includes onions or spring onions – my teen doesn’t enjoy that in his rice, so I add grated and finely chopped carrot instead which is disguised somewhat and I still know some veg has made it’s way in!

Ingredients

• 1 cup day-old cooked basmati rice (Jasmin works well too)
• 1 carrot, peeled, grated and then finely chopped (only if you need to disguise it)
• 2 cooked sausages, chopped up
• 2 cooked chicken thighs or 1 cooked chicken breast, chopped up
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 5cm thumb of fresh ginger, grated
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 eggs, whisked together in a cup
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

Method

Prepare all of your ingredients and set aside.

For the protein addition – you can add any cooked meat or prawns really. Whatever is available in the fridge for ease.

In a wok or large frying pan, heat the sesame oil. When it’s hot, add the garlic, ginger and carrot and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the protein of choice, and cook another 2 min.

Add the rice, and mix everything together.

Push the contents of your pan to one side so that half the pan is free, and add to the empty half your eggs. Let the eggs sit like an omelette till they firm up a bit, and then move them around with your spatula so you have ‘chunks’.

Incorporate the eggs into the rice mix and add the soy and honey.

Keep mixing together gently while you heat through and ensure everything is coated.

Enjoy hot either as a meal on it’s own, or as a protein-packed side dish to salt & pepper chicken or lighter chicken korma.