CUMIN FRIED RICE

A regular in the dinner rotation

For a protein adaptation of the original recipe, find the New York Times Cooking excerpt of it here, using chicken instead of beef.

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Excerpt from Third Culture Cooking

Cumin, meat, and carbs work exceptionally well together (see Spicy Lamb and Cumin Noodles, page 156, and Rishma’s Pilau, page 143), and this dish is no exception. This simple, satisfying meal comes together pretty quickly considering just how much flavor it packs in thanks to the cumin-y stir-fry sauce and all the alliums. While I consider this dish to be ideal with juicy, sliced strip steak, any very thinly sliced cut of tender beef or chicken will work.

2-4 SERVINGS / 30 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons soy sauce, plus more as needed

2 tablespoons oyster sauce*

½ teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons cumin seeds*

1 (10-ounce/285 g) New York strip steak* or similar well-marbled, fatty steak, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

5 scallions, white and light green parts thinly sliced, dark green parts cut into

1-inch batons, divided

5 garlic cloves, minced

2-inch piece ginger, minced

5 cups (600 g) day-old cooked white rice

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Crispy fried eggs, for serving

Sriracha, for serving

Pickled Kachumber (page 198) or pickled onions, for serving

*Instead of:

Oyster sauce, use 1 tablespoon soy sauce plus 1 teaspoon sugar and omit the ½ teaspoon sugar

Cumin seeds, use 1 teaspoon ground cumin

Steak, use thinly sliced chicken

METHOD

Stir the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar together in a small bowl.

Crush the cumin seeds in a mortar and pestle until coarsely ground. Heat a high-sided, nonstick skillet or wok over high heat. Add the steak in an even layer and season with salt and pepper. Cook, undisturbed, until crisp and browned on the underside, about 2 minutes. Stir and then transfer to a plate, leaving as much rendered fat behind in the skillet as possible.

Add 1 tablespoon of the butter, the white and light green parts of the scallions, the garlic, and ginger to the wok and stir-fry until fragrant and beginning to brown around the edges, about 1 minute. Add the cumin seeds and season well with pepper. Add the rice, the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, and the reserved soy sauce mixture to the skillet. Toss the rice to coat in the sauce. Press the rice firmly into the skillet, making sure it makes contact with the skillet, and top with the reserved steak and remaining dark green parts of onion. Cook, undisturbed, until the beef is warmed through and rice is slightly crisp on the underside, about 2 minutes. You’ll know the rice has crisped when you hear dry popping sounds. Drizzle with the sesame oil and toss once again.

Serve with crispy fried eggs, sriracha, pickled kachumber, and more black pepper and soy sauce, if desired.