unDumbing

I tried a fried rice recipe that required fewer ingredients than the one I had referenced previously. Though it had vivid colors, it didn’t satisfy my taste buds.

Below are some links to more details, including photos:

• My Story
• Inspiring Recipe
  • First Try
    • Ingredients to Use
    • Steps to Prepare
    • Time to Eat
    • Recipe Rating
  • Second Try
    • Ingredients to Use
    • Steps to Prepare
    • Time to Eat
    • Recipe Rating
• Continuous Improvement
• Lesson for Dumber Self
• Next Step for You

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My Story

After making miso salmon, I had a lot remaining. Since I didn’t want to waste it, I went on a quest for a new recipe to help me salvage the leftovers.

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Inspiring Recipe

What I found was the Salmon Fried Rice Recipe from The Spruce Eats website.

First Try

Since I already had the ingredients at home, I was able to start with little effort.

Ingredients to Use

Based on the amount of leftover sockeye salmon I had available, I doubled the default recipe intended for can red salmon and made some minor tweaks to it. What I ended up using was as follows:

1. 6 tablespoons of avocado oil
2. 4 cups of rice
3. 14 ounces of salmon chunks
4. 2 cups of frozen baby peas
5. 4 large eggs
6. 4 tablespoons of regular soy sauce

Due to what I had accessible to me, I also changed the oil, made some fresh rice to add to the leftover cold cooked rice, and replaced the soy sauce.

Steps to Prepare

Of the four steps in the recipe, I followed them as written. Below are additional details for the last three steps:

• Step 2 – I stir-fried the rice for 3 minutes in a wok, instead of a skillet, in order to fit all the ingredients.
• Step 3 – After stir-frying the salmon and peas for 5 minutes, the frozen peas were warm enough.
• Step 4 – To ensure that the soy sauce blended well, I stir-fried everything for 2 minutes.

Time to Eat

Although I smelled a burnt layer at the bottom of the wok, none of the burnt bits transferred to the bowl.

Recipe Rating

Below were the results of the recipe after the first try:

# of Ingredients	Effort	$ / Serving	Try Again?
6

Though the fried rice was very colorful, it was bland.

Second Try

For the second attempt, my goal was to increase the flavor of the dish and keep the ingredients from burning in the wok.

Ingredients to Use

With 12 ounces of leftover salmon, I used a little bit less of each ingredient, with the exception of the oil and soy sauce. For these two items, I used 1.5x the original proportion, hoping that this would address the issues from the first round. Below are the amounts that I used for each of the other elements:

1. 3 ounces + 1 1/2 tablespoons + 3/4 teaspoon + 1/8 teaspoon of avocado oil
2. 2 cups of rice
3. 13 ounces + 1 1/2 tablespoons of frozen baby peas
4. 4 large eggs
5. 2 ounces + 1 tablespoon + 2/3 teaspoon of regular soy sauce

Also, since some time had passed between the first and second attempt making this dish, I had purchased a new bottle of soy sauce.

Steps to Prepare

Regarding the process, I kept it the same this time as what I did during the first try.

Time to Eat

Though the extra oil didn’t keep the rice from burning, the additional soy sauce did darken the rice, as compared to the first time. What I was curious about was whether the dish had more flavor.

Recipe Rating

Below are the results of the recipe from the second attempt:

# of Ingredients	Effort	$ / Serving	Try Again?
6

I definitely tasted the increased amount of soy sauce. Even though it wasn’t too salty, the soy sauce flavor was slightly overpowering. Also, because the leftover rice was stored with some liquid, the fried rice came out too mushy.

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I don’t plan on using this recipe again, but to improve my salmon fried rice, I will do the following next time:

Continuous Improvement

1. Try the Salmon Fried Rice recipe from Just One Cookbook, the website that I referenced to make Japanese chicken curry before.

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While reading this recipe, I had an odd feeling when I saw rice pilaf as an option, but didn’t know why. If I had picked up on the inkling and remembered that the fried rice that I’m accustomed to only uses plain cooked rice, my expectation for the salmon fried rice might’ve aligned closer with the result. From this experience, I would tell my previous self the following:

Lesson for Dumber Self

1. Pay attention to the clues!

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What will you do now?

Next Step for You

1. Try the Salmon Fried Rice Recipe from The Spruce Eats website?
2. Share your favorite salmon fried rice recipe?
3. Read another post on this site? (Go to the menu at the top of the page.)

It’s your choice!