In every country, there is a dish that comes to define and challenge a home cook. The ability to make the dish is not just a mark of accomplishment, it speaks directly to the skill of the cook, creativity, and efforts to put their stamp on the dish to make it their own. In Guyana, there are many such dishes - Cook-up Rice, Pepperpot, Garlic Pork, Pound Cake, Roti... the list is long and includes Fried Rice.
Ask a home cook and he/she will tell you of their special way of cooking the rice to make fried rice. The ingredients used to season the rice becomes their signature blend and the method of combining the rice with vegetables and meat (if using) is unique to each cook. Fried Rice is also one of those dishes that we are constantly working on to perfect. We want to replicate a particular taste and texture that we've enjoyed at our favourite restaurant or at the home of family and or friends. For us, Fried Rice is more than just tossing day-old rice with veggies.
My friends, before I get to this week's column/blog post, I just thought that I'd clarify a few things based on some comments from last week's column/blog post - In Defence of All-Purpose Flour. I hope that I do not offend anyone.
Do you taste when you eat? In other words, can you discern what it is that you’re eating and drinking when you consume food and beverages? I’m not referring to having a finely tuned palate as that of a chef or someone very familiar with food. Rather, I’m talking about the ability to determine that you are eating the breast meat of chicken rather than the thigh meat; that you’re eating beef and not lamb; or drinking tangerine juice and not orange juice. Click here to read the rest of the column.
I come before you with my head bowed for I have flirted, cheated and obsessed about things other than my self-confessed true love... Here's the thing, though my head is bowed I am not sure of how ashamed I am. Does that make me a bad person? Does it mean that I need therapy? You'll have to click here to read the rest of the column.
In order not to give away anything, I'll just leave the pictures below. When you read the column, you'll figure it out. Go on, read the column. When you're done, come and share with me some of yours (don't worry, you'll understand when you've finished reading) :)
Click on the image to get all the details to this month's Monthly Mingle and your chance to win a free, signed copy of my book!
Like you, I buy the same ingredients weekly, like you, I prepare the same dishes every week and like you, I am always looking for new ways to prepare these familiar ingredients that I buy often, that is why when I came across Brandade de Morue and Salt Fish Fried Rice, I knew I had to share it with you. They are perfect examples of using a familiar ingredient (Salt Fish) in unfamiliar ways. Click here to read the rest of the column.
I have to thank Sylvia of La vida en Buenos Aries for the inspiration to try making the Brandade de Morue and Tiger Fish for mentioning in my post on Salt Fish last year about using it to flavour Fried Rice.
The recipe I used for the Brandade de Morue can be found here.
First you need to start by soaking and de-salting your salted cod. I used boneless cod but you can certainly use the bone-in variety, just be sure to remove all the bones and skin.
Ingredients clockwise: diced carrots, garlic, diced sweet peppers, ginger, diced long string beans, green onions
This post is in response to a question asked by a commenter. I hope this technique helps, Grace. I do not have pics at this time but I promise to try and get some.
This technique has been handed down to me by my mother who learnt it from a friend of hers who is Chinese, Auntie Bernice. Here goes.
Advice:
What do you think? Should we make fried rice a national dish of Guyana? Read the column where I've put forward my case.
HAPPY NEW YEAR to all my Chinese brothers and sisters in Guyana!
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