If you can use day old rice that has dried out a bit, it will absorb the flavors and cook crispier in the oil. For a dramatic look, I use exotic black Chinese rice.
- 1-2 tbsp peanut or other oil
- 1 hot pepper sliced length wise
- 1 tsp finely chopped ginger
- 1 tsp finely chopped garlic
- 1 tbsp finely chopped onion
- 1 egg beaten
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 cups mixed vegetables (I like a combination of peas, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, baby corn and Napa cabbage or bok choy)
Heat the oil in a deep pan or wok until smoking. Add the hot pepper and cook for about 1 minute. This is to season the oil. Remove the pepper. Add the ginger, garlic and onion and cook for about 1 minute. Add the egg and scramble. Add the rice and then the vegetables. Add the soy sauce and garnish with chopped scallion or cilantro.
What's Cookin' with Dr. Mike: The Grassroots Gourmet 
I use my grandma’s handed-down cast iron skillet for fried rice. It gets smoking hot, perfect for this dish. If I have some leftover pork, I chop that up and throw it in with the onions. I also like to add a bit of dark sesame oil to my peanut oil just for extra flavor. My mom taught me cook this dish in this same pan when I was about 12. Yummy, and so easy!