Ham and Asparagus Fried Rice

Fried rice is a simple meal that can be made on any weeknight. It’s quick, it’s in one pot and most of all it tastes delicious since we are making ham and asparagus fried rice.  My family loves asparagus, we often eat it just steamed.

The Fried Rice formula

Fried rice follows a general formula in procedure:  heat pan (good and hot)  raw meat, raw veggies, cooked meat and cooked veggies.  Pull it all out.  Then heat the oil again, throw in the rice, scramble in the egg and add back in the meat and veggies.

Generally speaking, I recommend using raw veggies and cooked meat.  Raw veggies because they don’t get wilty and ugly.  Cooked meat so that you don’t have to worry if you got that chicken all the way done.  I think the restaurants feel the same way and that is why ham is most commonly used.

Hence the ham and asparagus fried rice combo

There is some debate about when to cook the egg.  With the rice, without the rice, before or after or during the frying.  I choose to cook the egg with the rice for the simple fact I want to get as much done in one pan as I can.  (raise your hand if you want less dishes)  Just know that cooking the egg with the rice will lead to it being absorbed by the rice.  You won’t see those bits of scrambled egg you might be used to.  They are incorporated more.  (This feature can be very helpful with picky eaters.)

A word about rice.  I use brown rice, but white rice works well.  More important than the type, is the wetness of your rice.  Freshly cooked rice is very wet and tends to stick to the pan.  Try to use leftover rice.  It’s had some time to “dry” out and it also can be cool from the fridge when you use it.  Both these features help it fry up better.

And don’t be timid with the oil.  If this was “baked rice,”  I’d say back off.  But seriously it’s called ham and asparagus “fried” rice.  There is no way to fry but with oil, so prepare you healthiness for some oil here.  And since we want a hot pan you shouldn’t use olive oil, it’s smoking temperature is low.  Stick with canola, peanut or avocado—avocado oil is so good for frying it has one of the highest smoke points.

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Ham and Asparagus Fried Rice

Easy fried rice that you can enjoy as a full dinner or a side to your Kung Pao

Prep Time 15 minutes

Servings 8 sides

Ingredients

• 1 onion chopped
• 6 ounces of ham cut into bite size pieces
• 6 ounces of asparagus cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 eggs beaten
• 4 Tablespoons soy sauce I use lite
• 4-6 Tablespoons canola oil
• 4 cups cooked rice I use brown

Instructions

1. Pour 1 tablespoon of soy sauce on the cut meat to marinate it.
2. Heat a large skillet with 1 tablespoon oil on medium heat until good and hot, but not smoking.
3. Add the onion and stir fry until it starts to brown. If it sticks, add another tablespoon of oil.
4. Add the asparagus and stir fry until tender crisp (bright green in color)
5. Add the ham to the skillet and stir fry until heated through.
6. Throw on the garlic and toss it once or twice. Then empty the pan to a separate bowl.
7. Add the rest of the oil (about 3 tablespoons) to the now empty skillet. And heat over medium high.
8. Throw the rice in and toss it around to fry it up.
9. Add the scrambled eggs and toss until cooked.
10. 10. Return the ham/asparagus mixture to the pan. Toss to mix it up and serve.