Making Fried Rice

 Peppery Vegetarian Rice 

with Asian Shrimp

Dinner is ready, in fact, it's early tonight.  And, no we're not at a fancy Asian bistro.  I just stir-fried this incredible fried rice dish at home...thanks to Grace Young and her fantastic cookbook Stir Frying To The Sky's Edge.   

I recently discovered Grace Young and her cookbooks.  Upon her advice, I went to The Wok Shop and bought my wok.  Then I started stir-frying and joined the group Wok Wednesdays on Facebook.  It's comprised of fellow wokkers and fans of Grace Young's books.

  Every two weeks (on a Wednesday) we are encouraged to cook a designated recipe from Stir Frying To The Sky's Edge and share our experience.  Today is Wok Wednesday and the dish  to prepare is from page 256, Peppery Vegetarian Fried Rice. 

 Mise en place

I made a few minor changes to the recipe with what ingredients I had on hand.  And that's okay.  Grace tells us in her book that "the beauty of this recipe is it's total flexibility."  She also encourages us to get creative and even repurpose leftovers.  According to Grace, day old rice is like a blank canvas.  I approached the recipe with that regard and and served it plated with Asian grilled shrimp.  

Stir-Frying at Home

No more Chinese take-out for us!  Making fried rice at home is far superior to what we get from our local Chinese restaurant.  Tonight's Peppery Vegetarian Rice was packed with so much more fresh flavor, crunch and a little heat!

Stir Frying To The Sky's Edge

I have just started cooking my way through Grace's book Stir Frying To The Sky's Edge and have loved every recipe I have prepared.  

If you want to learn how to cook authentic Chinese food at home...this is the book to get.  If you want to have fun with fellow stir-fry enthusiasts, get the book and join us in Wok Wednesdays on Facebook.

We are asked not to share the recipes from the book but Grace's friend and fellow chef, Sara Moulton has featured this recipe on her show Sara's Weeknight Meals.  Here is the link to Sara's website so you can make it at home and see just how easy and wonderful this recipe is!

Peppery Vegetarian Fried Rice Recipe

And for more information on Wok Wednesdays,
just click here.


(In the photos:  Spode Gothic Castle plate and Chinese pottery mixed patterns from The Wok Shop, San Francisco, CA.)

A New Wok

 The Wok Shop

My latest culinary journey is Chinese cooking.  

Chinese cuisine has been a favorite of mine my entire life.  The night before I was born, my parents went out for Chinese food.  Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, I always picked The House of Lee in Oakland, California for my birthday dinner.  And, one of the very first cookbooks I ever bought was Chopsticks, Cleaver and Wok by Jennie Low about home-style Chinese cooking.  

 Grace Young Cook Books

Cookbook author, Grace Young has fueled my Chinese cooking journey.  I recently discovered her wonderful cookbooks and Craftsy class The Art of Stir Frying.  Grace is known as The Wok Queen and definitely knows a thing or two about woks.  She generously shares her expertise on the best type of woks to buy along with how to season and care for them.

A wok is essential for authentic Chinese stir-fry cooking.  And, since I believe in having the right kitchen tools for cooking, I decided to replace my older Magnalite aluminum wok with a a real Chinese wok.  And, according to Grace, the best place to buy a wok is San Francisco's The Wok Shop.  So during Chinese New Year, my husband and I made a trip to The Wok Shop.

The Wok

For those of us that cook on residential ranges, Grace recommends the wok shown above which is a 14" carbon steel, flat bottom wok.  Its small flat bottom gets it closer to the flame for high heat stir-frying.  And a nice feature are its wood handles so you don't have to run after pot holders while stir-frying. 

Wok Ambassador, Tane Chan

When you visit The Wok Shop, all you have to do is tell them that Grace Young sent you.  I lucked out on my visit and was helped by the charming owner, Tane Chan.  I didn't have to tell Tane a thing, she knew just the wok I was meant to have. 

If you need a wok, The Wok Shop is the place to go!  

(And they have an online store.)

The Wok Shop

718 Grant Avenue

San Francisco, CA 94108

(415) 989-3797