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My family has always enjoyed eating Chinese food, and it often made up our Sunday lunches. For special occasions, we enjoyed something a little different: Japanese Steak Houses – Benihana, in particular. My brother still likes to celebrate his birthday there every year! One thing that our favorite Chinese restaurant and Benihana have in common is delicious fried rice. I think I like the fried rice at Benihana best because it’s made right there in front of you on the hibachi grill, and it is served steaming hot. I have watched them make it many times and have tried to replicate the recipe at home – but it never tastes quite the same. I’ve come to the conclusion that it must be the hibachi grill that gives Benihana’s rice the extra flavor I can’t seem to get at home! Nevertheless, I do still enjoy my homemade fried rice, either as a side dish or as a meal. I like to make a large batch, so I can have leftovers for lunch the next couple days. Yum!
Give it a try, and if you figure out Benihana’s secret, let me know 🙂
Ingredients:
– 2 cups rice, uncooked
– 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast (optional)
– ½ cup celery, finely chopped
– ½ cup carrots, finely chopped
– ½ cup onion, finely chopped
– 3 eggs
– 2 Tbsp. butter
– 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
– 1 Tbsp. soy sauce (more or less to taste)
– Salt
– Pepper
Directions:
- Cook rice according to package directions. I like to use brown rice for added nutrition!
- If you want to make chicken fried rice, cut chicken into very small pieces and fry with a little bit of vegetable oil until fully cooked; set aside.
- In a large wok, sauté vegetables in butter until tender; season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Scramble eggs and cook in a frying pan until just done; break eggs into small pieces.
- Add rice, chicken, eggs, vegetable oil and soy sauce to wok; stir until well combined and stir fry for a few minutes over medium heat. Add extra salt and pepper if desired. Sometimes I add a hint of garlic or ginger, too – but go easy: this is the one dish I make that does not taste as good if you add much additional spices or seasonings.
Enjoy!
At the Water's Edge 
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