green fried rice

I've never ever been a huge fan of brown rice.
It's never cooked correctly and is either disturbingly mushy or oddly crunchy.
So, I was very wary of this recipe.
But, in an effort to eat more kale - I'm kinda on a kale-in-everything kick this summer - I decided to give ole Gwyneth a shot and try this out.

And it was divine.
Even if you overcook the brown rice (which I almost always manage to do), it sits in the fridge overnight to get all stale again and stale rice is perfect for fried rice.
And even if you think you don't like brown rice....well, it's fried.  So you don't notice.
And even if you think you don't like kale, it's chopped into tiny bits....and, well, it's coated in soy sauce and served up with fried rice.

You'll love it.

Green Fried Rice
Serves 4.
From Gwyneth Paltrow's cookbook, My Father's Daughter

1/2 pound kale, stems discarded

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, very finely minced

3 large scallions, cut into 1/8" diagonal slices

2 1/2 cups cooked brown rice (preferably cooked the day before and refrigerated overnight)

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce

Eggs, optional

Cut the kale leaves in half lengthwise and then cut crosswise into very thin ribbons, or a chiffonade...or just chop it all up. Steam the kale for 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, being careful not to brown the garlic. Raise the heat to medium and add the steamed kale and scallions. Cook for 2 minutes and then add the rice and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring. Add the soy sauce and cook for 30 seconds more. Serve hot, with or without a sunny side up egg on top!