Unfried “Fried” Rice (Gluten-Free, Oil-Free)

This is such an easy and simple recipe. You don’t need many ingredients and it is filling and delicious. My husband absolutely loved it and claimed it tasted just like the stuff we used to consume at the restaurants. I don’t know about that…it’s not prepared the traditional way, it’s not greasy, nor does it have eggs, but we both enjoyed it….guilt free. Of course I use a healthy rice, instead of white rice. By using a brown and wild rice blend, it keeps it interesting.

This makes a HUGE platter, as you can see! It will serve a large family!

Recipe:  Serves 6-8  Prep time: 15 mins  Cook time: 1 hour 10 mins

Gluten-free

Ingredients:

2 cups slow-cooking brown & wild rice blend, I used Lundberg brand (this rice has more of a bite to it, so use plain slow-cooking brown rice if you prefer a more tender rice)

5 1/2 cups low sodium vegetable broth

1/2 cup grated carrot

1 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 1/2 inch cube finely chopped fresh ginger

4 garlic cloves, minced

2-3 tablespoons Braggs liquid aminos (or soy sauce), plus extra for seasoning later if desired

1/2-3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, per your heat-o-meter

Toasted sesame seeds for garnish

Note: The amount of broth and cooking time can vary greatly depending on the rice you use. I also used vegetable broth that has no sodium at all, so I used 3 tablespoons of liquid aminos. If your broth has salt in it, you may need to adjust. Start out with just 2 tablespoons.

Directions:

Prepare all the vegetables ahead of time before beginning to cook. In a large saucepan, over medium heat, add the onion, carrots, black pepper, liquid aminos and only 3/4 cup of vegetable broth. Saute for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent. All the broth should have evaporated as well. Now, add the ginger and garlic and 1/4 cup more of the vegetable broth. Cook a few minutes more until softened. Now add the remaining 4 1/2 cups of broth and the rice and peas. Bring to a boil, once boiling, cover with a lid and turn down to simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, or until all the broth has evaporated and the rice is tender. The cooking time can vary based on which rice you use. Once all the broth has evaporated, return the lid and let sit for 10 minutes. Taste and add any additional liquid aminos. I think I added another teaspoon or two. It makes a large amount of rice, so you can be generous with the seasoning. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds. They really complete this dish!

Option #2:

This is the more traditional way of preparing fried rice and will lend a stickier rice result. My husband loves the above version, but I like both ways of prepared rice. Simply cook the rice according to the package directions. For the brand I used, Lundberg wild rice blend, that would be 3 1/2 cups broth per 2 cups of rice. After its cooked, chill in the fridge several hours or overnight. Then prepare the vegetables per the above directions, add the chilled rice to the pan, coating them well. Once everything is heated through, taste and add any additional liquid aminos and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.