Yogadad World

It's a snowy night in mid-Michigan. Not as snowy as further south & east, but enough to be troublesome. After getting home from work, the first order of business was shoveling the sidewalk and driveway. Our driveway is rather long and wide and it takes awhile to get done. Shannon helped so it wasn't too onerous. But we did have an appetite by the time we finished. Fortunately the meal we had discussed in the morning fit the bill perfectly.

This recipe is from one of my favorite food writers, Mark Bittman. He's a New York Times columnist, writing the Minimalist column and a blog, Bitten. He also has written a first rate cookbook and a non-cookbook about food, among other things.

The starchy rice, along with the egg topping, was great comfort food after coming in from the cold, covered with snow. The dish cooked up fast and was quite hearty. Dessert was a few orange slices, the sweetness nicely complimenting the saltiness of the soy sauce and sesame oil in the rice.

If you watch Bittman's video, you'll see he uses two pans - one to brown the ginger and garlic, the other to soften the leeks and heat the rice. He uses the first pan to also fry the eggs. I used one pan for the garlic and ginger, then put the leeks and rice in that pan, using the second to fry the egg. Too late I discovered that the Calphalon pan that I had assumed was non-stick had egg stuck to the bottom. After grumping around about the lack of quality in these pans, which are not inexpensive, I managed to pry the eggs, mostly intact from the pan, and get them on top of the rice. What I find a bit ironic is that the best non-stick pan I have is some no-name skillet that I think I got at Kroger for probably $10. Takes a licking and still no sticking. So next time we make this, I'll use el cheapo pan for the eggs and the other for the rice. Doesn't matter if that sticks a bit.

Ingredients
1/2 cup peanut oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced ginger
Salt
2 cups thinly sliced leeks, white and light green parts only, rinsed and dried
4 cups day-old cooked rice, preferably jasmine, at room temperature
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons sesame oil
4 teaspoons soy sauce.

In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp and brown. With a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels and salt lightly.

Reduce heat under skillet to medium-low and add 2 tablespoons oil and leeks. Cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very tender but not browned. Season lightly with salt.

Raise heat to medium and add rice. Cook, stirring well, until heated through. Season to taste with salt.

In a nonstick skillet, fry eggs in remaining oil, sunny-side-up, until edges are set but yolk is still runny.

Divide rice among four dishes. Top each with an egg and drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil and 1 teaspoon soy sauce. Sprinkle crisped garlic and ginger over everything and serve.