Veggie Fried Rice

Serves: 4 | Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 500g cooked rice 
• 1 Tbsp. oil 
• 1 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger
• Soy sauce, to taste
• 1-2 Chinese bitter melons, cut lengthwise, scooped out and sliced medium thickness (may substitute courgette or squash) 
• 200g-300g sweet potato, cut lengthwise, and sliced medium thickness 
• Ground meat, sliced meat, prawns or tofu
• 2-3 free range eggs, beaten 
• 1 small bunch Chinese chives, minced
• 200g dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated, stems removed, quartered 
• 4-6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 6-10 leaves of Swiss chard, kale or spinach, chopped 
• 1 stick celery, chopped 
• 1-10 Santaka hot Asian chilli peppers, chopped 
• 4 Tbsp. fresh dill 
• 1 small bunch scallions, minced 
• 1 bunch coriander
• 2 Tbsp. flax seed powder 
• 2 Tbsp. whole flax seeds
  

Instructions:

1. Brown the meat or tofu at medium-high heat with soy sauce. Set aside.
2. Heat a small amount of oil with sliced garlic, ginger and soy sauce in a wok, and stir-fry bitter melon and sweet potato for 1 to 2 minutes. 
3. Add the mushrooms and continue to stir-fry. Add the eggs and Asian chilli peppers. Continue to stir-fry. 
4. Add the Chinese chives and veggie leaves and mix. Add meat or tofu and mix. 
5. In a separate bowl, break up the rice with soy sauce. Add to stir-fry and mix. Add flax seed powder and seeds. Salt and pepper to taste.
   

Recipe Credit: Deborah Altenhof