Quick Vegetable Fried Rice

Fried rice is the recipe that turns leftovers into a meal. The single most important thing is cold, day-old rice — freshly cooked rice is too soft and steamy and turns to mush in the pan. Beyond that, it's endlessly forgiving: use whatever vegetables are wilting in the drawer, add leftover chicken or prawns if you have them, and adjust the sauce to taste.

Get everything chopped and lined up before you start, because once the wok is hot this cooks in minutes.

Ingredients

• 4 cups cold cooked rice (ideally a day old), clumps broken up
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 1 cup frozen peas and sweetcorn
• 2 spring onions, sliced (whites and greens separated)
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce or a pinch of sugar (optional)

Method

1. Break up any clumps in the cold rice with your fingers so every grain is separate. Line up all your other ingredients within reach.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large wok or frying pan over high heat. Pour in the beaten eggs, scramble quickly until just set, then tip out onto a plate.
3. Add the remaining oil to the pan. Fry the onion, garlic, carrot and the white parts of the spring onion for 2 minutes until fragrant and starting to soften.
4. Add the peas and sweetcorn and stir-fry for another minute.
5. Turn the heat to maximum and add the rice. Toss and press it against the hot pan for 3–4 minutes so it heats through and picks up a little colour.
6. Pour in the soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper and oyster sauce. Toss to coat every grain.
7. Return the egg to the pan, add the spring onion greens, and toss through for a final 30 seconds. Taste, add more soy if needed, and serve hot.