Hot Dog Fried Rice
It might seem like a trendy stunt to add hot dogs to fried rice, but it’s also really good. Fried rice is part of my culinary dowry, something my mother made often and well, using whatever scraps were left in the refrigerator. I’ve tested this, stirring in cubed ham or leftover shredded pork; rotisserie chicken and a panoply of vegetables ranging from broccoli and spinach to zucchini and fennel. Somehow, it always works: fried rice is the great equalizer.
The addition of eggs and green onions is non-negotiable, however, and that duo, along with soy sauce, is what I think really gives fried rice its signature flavor. An unabashed lover of hot dogs, I like to dice a couple and add them in. Of course you could omit them for a completely satisfying vegetarian dish. The best fried rice is made with day-old white rice. Its slight dryness prevents it from becoming mushy as it’s tossed in the pan. If you don’t have leftover rice, cook some at least a few hours in advance of frying. Once cooked, turn it out onto a rimmed baking sheet and spread it in a single layer, which will help it cool more quickly and lets it dry out a bit.
Golden Mountain brand seasoning sauce is a Thai condiment made from fermented soybeans, salt and sugar. If you can’t find it, substitute additional soy sauce, salt and sugar to taste. If you’d like, you can stir in some chopped kimchi at the end of the cooking.
Have your ingredients prepped and nearby before you start making fried rice. Start to finish, the cooking should take under 10 minutes.
Makes 4 servings
4 cups cooked cooled white rice
Kosher salt
Sugar
1 cup (about 4 ounces) broccoli florets
2 medium carrots
¼ cup canola oil
4 green onions, thinly sliced
2 hot dogs, diced
2 eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt
1½ tablespoons Golden Mountain brand seasoning sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ cup frozen peas, thawed
1 cup spinach leaves or thinly sliced swiss chard leaves
1/3 cup chopped cabbage kimchi (optional)
Season the rice with a generous pinch of salt and sugar. Steam the broccoli and carrots just until tender; cut the broccoli into small florets and dice the carrots.
In a large frying pan over high heat, heat the oil. When the oil is hot stir in the green onions and hot dogs and cook, stirring, until the green onions sizzle and soften and the pieces of hot dog begin to brown, about 2 minutes. Pour in the beaten eggs and cook, stirring with a rubber spatula, until they begin to set. Stir in the rice and add the seasoning sauce and soy sauce and mix to combine, then cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the broccoli, carrots and frozen peas and stir to combine. Stir in the spinach and kimchi, if using, and cook, stirring, until the spinach wilts and the kimchi is heated through, 2 to 3 minutes more. Season to taste with additional salt, seasoning sauce or soy sauce.