Calamari Fried Rice

This is a great recipe for using left-over rice. It is important that the rice be throughly chilled and not mushy or too moist. You need the rice kernels to be separate.

4 cups Jasmine Rice*, cold left over from refrigerator
*Butterfly, Phoenix, or Elephant brand are good, brown Jasmine rice is great also for a healthier fried rice and can eaten on many healthy lifestyle diets like Core Weight Watcher's which I am on forever as I love how healthy the plan really is. I use Thai Hom Mali New Crop rice.

8 ounces of calamari rings and tentacles
6 oz. Lapchong or Chinese Sausage sliced *optional
2 handfuls of Thai Basil (Bai Horpha)
Kaffir Lime leaves (1 pair) slivered-remove center stem IE midrib)
10-12 cloves chopped garlic
2 Tablespoons of peanut oil
3 Tablespoons of Oyster Sauce (I prefer the Thai Oyster Sauce, Maekrua)
6 to 10 Thai chiles diced (wear rubber gloves when chopping and touching)
2 Tablespoons of Fish Sauce (Golden Boy is excellent)
Generous sprinkling of white pepper.
handful of 1 inch pieces red and yellow bell peppers
handful 1/2" pieces red onion
1-2 eggs beaten and fried in a separate pan, sprinkle w/white pepper, slice and add at the end

*Optional Garnish:
Smoked dry chilies ground up for garnish and extra heat
Sliced cucumbers make a great garnish, as do chile flowers.


Method

Blanche calamari in boiling water for 1 1/2 minutes, drain, place in ice water to stop cooking.

Heat a well seasoned pan (wok is best)
Add the oil and heat until hot.
Add the onions and bell peppers, stir fry
Add the garlic and chopped chilies.
Add the Oyster Sauce,
Add the rice (make sure all big chunks are broken up)
Stir fry
Add the egg pieces and calamari rings and tentacles.
Add the fish sauce. Stir fry just until calamari is heated., Taste and adjust oyster sauce and fish sauce if needed.
Add the Thai Basil and stir until leaves are wilted

Garnish with Basil leaves and sliced cucumber

Serve with Nam Phrik Pla so diners can adjust heat if they desire.

Allow about 1 1/2 cups of rice per person for a main course. This is so easy and tasty.

I like the smokiness of roasted chiles in this dish, and sometimes I add this as I stir fry, as we like it extra hot.

Optional: Sometimes I slice and brown Lapchong in this fried rice as well as the calamari.

Variations: Use tofu and seasonal vegetables, or a misture of fresh shellfish like calamari, shrimp, and mussels.

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