LOCAVORATIOUS! Adventures in Community Supported Agriculture

When I first approached Theresa about blogging for her CSA, I told her that I would keep things clean, and not use profanity. Friggin’ in this particular case is not profanity. According to the Almighty Wikipedia, for something to be profane, it needs to be “interpreted as insulting, rude, vulgar, descrecrating, or showing disrespect”.

My use of the term here is the complete opposite. So when I say “Friggin’”, I really mean Sacred (and that’s a Capital S). To again paraphrase Wikipedia: “considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion…inspiring awe or reverence”. One taste of this fried rice, and even the most jaded of atheists will be singing praise to the high heavens.

For the fried rice purists out there – you’ll probably notice that I’m using Basmati rice, not the more typical Jasmine, or long grain rice that you might find in most recipes. That’s because I’m hopelessly addicted to Basmati, but also because it’s drier, less grainy texture is perfectly suited to fried rice. Ultimately, feel free to use Jasmine – it’s a perfectly acceptable substitute.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients
Organic Stuff· 2-3 stalks of green garlic, or green onions, thinly sliced
· 1 white or yellow (cooking) onion, diced
· 2 cups, square-cut spring harvested bok choi
· 2 thin carrots, peeled, crunchy and sweet - chopped
· 3 gorgeous, farm-fresh eggs, scrambled

Non Organic Stuff
· 2 cups white basmati rice
· 2 cloves garlic, minced (didn’t have any organic ones!)
· 3 tablespoons, vegetable oil
· 2 generous glugs of Soya Sauce (Superior Brand Chinese Soy)
· A few quick shakes of Oyster Sauce (about a tablespoon)
· Pinch of salt
· Pinch or more of white sugar
· Light drizzle of sesame oil

Other Stuff· (Optionally), a dried thai chilli pepper, crumbled
· Bowls to put your Organic Stuff in
· A good quality Wok
· Very very high heat
· Ideally, a receptive and open attitude towards the divine

Locavoratious Cooking Secrets!
Ok, on to the cooking secrets!

Secret #1 – cold rice
First, the rice you use has to be cold, and dry. Whatever you do, don’t scoop the rice right out of a rice cooker, or steamer. Use leftover rice that you’ve prepared from a previous meal, ideally rice that has been refrigerated, for at least a day, so the rice has been given a chance to dry out. This is critical. If you use freshly cooked rice, the results will be gummy, and nowhere near the sacred.

Secret #2 – prep bowls
Prep your ingredients in bowls in advance. Do a proper mise-en-place, and have everything ready to go, before you start to heat your wok. Cause once you get started, things will move fast, especially with high heat. You don’t have time to go looking for things like the soya sauce, or to chop the garlic.

Secret #3 – use real soya sauce
Please please please don’t use crappy soya sauce, like the stuff that is flavoured with artificial caramel colouring. Get the real thing. Real soya sauce is fermented, and has wheat in it’s base. Look for brands like Lee Kum Kee, or Superior Soy, or even Kikkoman.

Start Cooking!
Prep done? Mise-en-place accompli? Great! You’re ready to start cooking:

1) Heat wok over high heat. Let the wok heat up, until it is close to smoking. You’ll know it’s hot enough when you flick a few beads of water into the wok, and it instantly vapourises.
2) Add about ¾ tablespoon of the oil
3) Pour in the scrambled eggs, swish it around to form a big pancake at the bottom of the wok
4) Cook for about a minute, then flip the “pancake” over, cook for another minute. The eggs shouldn’t be runny, if they are, cook a little bit longer. Remove from wok. Clean and dry the wok.
5) Cut the eggs into squares, or small rectangular strips, whatever suits your fancy.
6) Re-heat the wok, again over high heat.
7) Wait a few moments longer, to let your wok heat even further
8) Add 1 tbsp of oil, then stir fry the vegetables, in the following order:
   a. Add onions, stir frying constantly, for about 20-30 seconds
   b. Add garlic and green onions/green garlic, for about 5 seconds
   c. Add the carrots, for about 30 seconds
   d. Add the bok choi, for another 30 seconds – don’t overcook, it should be crisp, on the edge of tender
9) Add the oyster sauce, and sugar, and mix together quickly, only a few seconds. By now an irresistible aroma will fill the room.
10) Maintain your self control, and transfer the veggies into a side bowl.
11) Again clean and dry the wok, and again reheat, same as before.
12) Call in the people you’re going to feed, and get them seated and ready to eat
13) Add the remaining oil, and then the rice
14) Stir fry the rice, breaking up any clumps, adding extra oil if needed to keep things from sticking
15) Add in the salt, and then the soya sauce. Combined with the oil, this will moisten the rice, making it easier to stir-fry, and combine together. Heat the rice completely through, probably a good 3 minutes or so
16) Add the veggies back in, mixing them throughout the rice
17) Drizzle on the sesame oil, garnish with any remaining green onions
18) Serve immediately and enjoy!