Recipe: Faster Fried Rice with Tofu and Egg Drop Soup

FASTER FRIED RICE AND EGG DROP SOUP

"When making fried rice, it's best to allow the cooked rice to cool completely before proceeding with the rest of the recipe. But if you're short on time, spread the rice out in a thin layer on a baking sheet to quicken cooling.

Also, don't worry about thawing the vegetables or dicing the tofu before adding to the wok or skillet. The vegetables will thaw as they cook, and it's easy to break up the tofu with the sharp edge of a spatula.

In stir frying, ingredients are cooked in quick succession. The classic way to do this is to push cooked ingredients to the edge of the wok as new ones are added to the center."

FOR THE FRIED RICE:
Vegetable oil
1 (10 ounce) pkg. frozen stir-fry vegetables such as snap peas, onion, broccoli, carrots, etc.
1/2 block firm tofu, removed from packing liquid
3 eggs
4 cups cooked rice, preferably cooled
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons oyster sauce (optional)
FOR THE EGG DROP SOUP:
4 cups chicken broth
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Freshly ground black pepper

TO MAKE THE FRIED RICE:
Heat a couple of tablespoons vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet set over medium-high heat.

Add frozen vegetables and stir-fry for a couple minutes, until heated through. Push to edge of wok.

Add tofu. Cook, breaking up, until heated through and lightly browned. Push to edge of wok.

Add eggs, stirring to scramble as they cook and separating the curds. Push to edge of wok.

Add rice and stir-fry until heated through. Stir together all ingredients and toss with soy sauce and oyster sauce, if using.

TO MAKE EGG DROP SOUP:
Heat 4 cups chicken broth to boiling in a small saucepan. Drizzle beaten eggs while stirring broth to create egg noodles. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper.

Source: Joe Stumpe in The Providence Journal, June 6, 2007