Veggie Fried Rice with Roasted Eggplant and Red Pepper

I’ll call this recipe “fried rice with a subtle Mediterranean twist”! And I’ll explain to you the reasons why further down, after I profess my love for fried rice one more time. Though I’ve already talked to you about this burning passion of mine in a previous post, I’ll just add a few reasons to the list:

– it is incredibly versatile! It can take literally any shape or form.
– it can accommodate any kind of veggies, meat, seafood, or anything else really (ie. it’s a real fridge emptier)!
– it is comfor food (ie. satisfying and warm and filling and delicious).
– it is quick and super easy to make.
– it can tell you a lot about the quality of a restaurant if you order it.

and last but not least:
– it is so simple, yet it has the potential to be so sophisticated! (my favorite kind of dish)

This version came out of my kitchen quite unexpectedly. I realized I had only posted one fried rice recipe (with shrimp!) since I started the blog, which is disproportionately low compared to how often I make fried rice at home. So I was thinking about sharing a veggie recipe that would be different from your typical peas-carrots-tofu combo. I knew I really wanted to throw some eggplant in the mix (which would be amazing tossed with a garlic sauce in this dish by the way), and since I also had peppers in my fridge I figured it would be nice to add some extra texture that’s more crunchy to the rice.

One thing leading to another, the thyme came along and I found myself thrown back to the south of France where they use these ingredients together all the time. Hence what I call the “Mediterranean twist”. I did keep the scrambled eggs and the soy sauce, but I guess this fried rice is definitely inspired by my home country! Bon appétit!

Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1/4 eggplant
1/2 pepper
1/4 cup dried brown rice
1/2 cup water
1 egg
a few sprigs of fresh parsley
a few sprigs of fresh thyme
sriracha
soy sauce
olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Start by roasting the vegetables. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Meanwhile, dice the eggplant and the pepper. Transfer all the veggies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, toss with a good drizzle of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and add a few thyme sprigs to the mix. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown, tossing halfway through.
Meanwhile, cook the brown rice. In a rice cooker or on the stove, cover the rice with 1/2 cup of water and let it cook until all the liquid is absorbed (about 15 minutes).
When both the rice and veggies are cooked, set everything aside. In a large pot, scramble the egg with a drop of olive oil, stirring constantly until it reaches the desired consistency. Set the cooked eggs aside.
In the same pot, sauté the cooked rice and the roasted veggies with a good drizzle of soy sauce and some sriracha. Stir well. Top with the scrambled eggs and stir once more.
Garnish your plate with some fresh parsley or cilantro and enjoy!

Temps total: 40 minutes

Ingrédients:

1/4 d’aubergine
1/2 poivron rouge
1/4 tasse de riz brun (ou blanc)
1/2 tasse d’eau
1 oeuf
quelques brins de persil
quelques brins de thym
sriracha
sauce soja
huile d’olive
sel de mer et poivre noir

Directions:

Commencez par préparer les légumes. Préchauffez votre four à 200°C. Pendant ce temps, taillez l’aubergine et le poivron en dès. Transférez les légumes sur une plaque de cuisson recouverte de papier sulfurisé. Ajoutez un bon filet d’huile d’olive, du sel de mer et quelques brins de thym avant d’enfourner le tout pendant 30 minutes (ou jusqu’à ce que les légumes soient bien dorés), en remuant à mi-cuisson.
Faites cuire le riz brun. Dans un rice cooker, ou une casserole, recouvrez le riz avec 1/2 tasse d’eau, couvrez, et laissez cuire jusqu’à ce que toute l’eau soit absorbée (environ 15 minutes).
Lorsque le riz et les légumes sont prêts, mettez le tout de côté. Faites les oeufs brouillés dans une grande casserole, en les mélangeant énergiquement avec un peu d’huile jusqu’à obtenir la texture désirée. Mettez de côté.
Dans la même casserole, faites revenir le riz avec les légumes, un bon filet de sauce soja, et un peu de sriracha. Mélangez bien le tout. Ajoutez enfin les oeufs et mélangez une dernière fois.
Garnissez votre assiette avec du persil frais (ou de la coriandre) et bon appétit!