The Woks of Life

Vegetarians will rejoice. (And so will die-hard carnivores).

As a Chinese-American girl growing up on everything from pot roast and pasta to tofu and stir-fries, I’ve always had a rather eclectic appreciation for food. But for those really busy workweeks, I always find myself — in an unironically stereotypical sort of way — coming back to one basic strategy from my Chinese roots. I call it the “serve with rice” strategy.

Coming from a Cantonese background on my father’s side, I’m no stranger to seafood dishes involving copious amounts of scallions and ginger. It is absolutely one of the best flavor combinations known to man. Traditionally, scallions and ginger are often made into a paste with oil and salt and served with chicken, or stir-fried with shrimp, lobster, or crab.

So you have some leftover rice from your week of awesome “serve with rice” dishes. Know what that means? It’s time for fried rice — the perfect vehicle to use up any and all leftover rice in your fridge. In fact, it’s time for one of our simplest, most flavorful fried rice dishes: bacon and egg fried rice.

I have a minor obsession with this basil beef; it is an absolutely perfect weeknight meal. Not only will it make you eschew takeout menus for years to come, but you’ll also be able to make it in 15 minutes flat with only 10 ingredients. If that’s not a win, I don’t know what is. For me, this dish has that incredibly comforting, all-is-right-with-the-world quality that can make me feel better after a long day.

I love a simple stir-fry that combines one protein and one vegetable; not only is it easy to prepare, but it’s also an entire meal when served with a bowl of rice. No need to prepare a side dish! Because let’s face it — sometimes we just don’t have time for that. The great thing about this dish is that it can be made from start to finish in just 20 minutes.