Fried Rice with Yum Yum Sauce

I have always loved hibachi style food.  It is the ultimate treat for me.  There is nothing better than fresh fried rice cooked right in front of you, perfectly seasoned grilled shrimp and honey chicken that has just the right amount of crisp on the outside and tenderness on the inside.  Don't even get me started on the filet mignon that is practically like eating a stick of butter...in a good way.  A really good way. 

 Even though I can't completely recreate the atmosphere and flavors of true hibachi, this comes pretty close to the fried rice and yum yum sauce they make at a hibachi restaurant.  So if you're a fan of the food, but want to save your pennies, or avoid the chance of sitting next to someone you don't know while you eat in front of a flaming tower of onions - try this.  

Yum Yum Sauce

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cup Mayonnaise

¼ cup water

1 teaspoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon melted butter

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon paprika

Dash of cayenne pepper

Directions: 

Whisk all ingredients together thoroughly until well mix and the sauce is smooth.  Refrigerate overnight to blend the flavors.  Serve at room temperature with fried rice. 

Fried Rice

Ingredients:  

3 Tbsp. butter, divided

2 eggs, whisked

2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

1 small white onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper

4 cups cooked and chilled rice

3 green onions, thinly sliced

3-4 Tbsp. soy sauce, or more to taste

1 tsp. fish sauce (optional)

1/2 tsp. toasted sesame oil

Directions: 

Heat 1/2 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until melted. Add egg, and cook until scrambled, stirring occasionally. Remove egg, and transfer to a separate plate.

Add an additional 1 tablespoon butter to the pan and heat until melted. Add carrots, onion, and garlic, and season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Saute for about 5 minutes or until the onion and carrots are soft. Increase heat to high, add in the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter, and stir until melted. Immediately add the rice, green onions, soy sauce and fish sauce (if using), and stir until combined. 

Continue stirring for an additional 3 minutes to fry the rice. Then add in the eggs and stir to combine. Add the sesame oil, stir to combine, and remove from heat.

Recipe adapted from Gimme Some Oven

Caramelized Chicken with Lemon Rice

If you know me well, you know that I love rice.  I've always loved rice.  Growing up, I would eat rice for lunch on a daily basis (if my mom let me).  I still would be perfectly happy if rice was an ingredient in every meal...but since childhood I have expanded my meal options. However, I haven't stopped making rice a weekly staple food - whether it is part of a stir fry, a southwestern burrito bowl, a casserole, etc.  This lemon rice recipe was handed down to me from my mom (I tweaked it to make it a little healthier by reducing the amount of butter).  She used to make this at home and I fell in love with the distinct flavor of the turmeric and lemon with the subtle addition of mustard seed.  This is a very easy way to "dress up" your rice and impress your dinner guests!  Enjoy :) 

Caramelized Chicken with Lemon Rice

Serves 4 

For the chicken:

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon clarified butter (or extra light olive oil for high heat)

Directions

(Prepare the chicken while rice is cooking - see below) Thaw chicken breasts if frozen and pat completely dry with paper towel.  Season on both sides with sea salt and pepper (add other spices & herbs if desired).  Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon clarified butter.  Once butter is hot, add chicken breasts and cook for about 8-10 minutes per side until each side is caramelized and golden brown.  Feel free to flip more than once if desired and keep an eye on the chicken so that it does not burn on the bottom of the pan.  Add more butter or oil if needed when flipping the chicken. 

For the lemon rice:

Ingredients

¼ cup butter

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black or brown mustard seed

1 tsp. turmeric

3 cups cooked rice

Juice from 1 lemon

Directions

Prepare rice according to package directions or cook in a rice cooker.  After rice is cooked, melt butter in large frying pan.  Add mustard seed, salt and turmeric.  Stir until well blended and mustard seed dances in pan.  Add lemon juice and rice.  Heat and serve with caramelized chicken.