Veggie Loaded Super Grains Fried Rice

I have used the Simply Nature Brand Mixed Super Grains which consists of a mixture of buckwheat, millet and red and white quinoa in the past when I prepared a vegan jambalaya recipe, here. I did not even wash and drain the mixture before cooking like I do with pure quinoa to remove that certain taste. I just dumped the super grains in my rice cooker and cooked them according to package directions.

Available at Aldis Grocery Store

I have plenty of leftovers of this cooked mixed super grains in the fridge and I thought, what better use of it than to make some kind of quasi fried rice with it.  I decided to not use oil at all, however. Instead I relied on the even heating performance of  a good cast iron skillet and just enough vegetable broth for the grains not to stick to the skillet. It really worked. It was not soggy at all.  You have to add just enough broth to cook the vegetables and then add a bit more after the grains and sauce are added but just enough so the grains would not stick to the skillet. Too much broth will make it soggy.

The mixture of soy sauce, catsup and smoked paprika gave the grains that fried rice flavor with a little oomph to it that would make you forget it was not even fried.  This rice or shall I say grain dish is reminiscent of the so called Java Rice made famous by the Aristocrat Restaurant in the Philippines.  This quasi fried rice recipe was inspired by the one found in the wonderful blog Adora's Box for Java Rice or Paprika Rice. Similar to cooking most fried rice, it helps that the cooked mixed super grains were in the fridge overnight to make them dry. During the cooking process you do need to mix them with the rest of the vegetables with some broth or they will be too dry.

The Super Grains themselves have great nutritional values. With the added vegetables, it brings its super food status to the stratosphere. You can add any vegetables you want.  I opted for the crunchy ones like carrots and celery and the customary green peas found in most fried rice recipes.

It is a craving fixer for Chinese food or any comfort food for that matter.  I have had it as is even cold like you sometimes do with the Chinese food fried rice leftover. This is perfect with almost anything including soup or some main dish like vegan vegetable fritter, here or with fried chicken for your meat lovers in the family. They would love this. Vegan or not.

Veggie Loaded Super Grains Fried Rice

Inspired by a recipe from Adora's Box

• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup carrots, cubed
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 3 cups super grains mix, cooked according to package directions
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 cup catsup or 2 tsp tomato paste with some sweetener like maple syrup
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 stalks green onions, sliced

Add about 1/4 cup of the vegetable broth to the cast iron skillet or non stick one and add to it the onion, garlic, carrots and celery. Allow the broth to boil to cook the vegetable mixture.  Add more broth if needed.

Leave some broth at the bottom of the pan and add the super grains.

Add the soy sauce, smoked paprika and catsup with constant stirring till the mixture is heated through and the sauce well distributed.

Add frozen peas and allow them to thaw and cook. Add salt and pepper to taste.

You can add more soy sauce or even paprika or catsup to adjust to your taste.

Garnish the finished product with sliced green onions.

Enjoy. Warning: You might find yourself sneaking and raiding your fridge in the middle of the night. Ha, ha.