🧑🍳 Stuff to Know Before You Start
Harvest Time: If you have an allotment or garden, gather whatever veggies are in season. It’s a great way to add variety and color to your fried rice.
Rehydrating Shiitake: Use warm water and soak for about 30 minutes. This softens the mushrooms enough to slice and cook easily.
One-Pot Rice & Beetroot: Cooking beetroot with the rice saves time and creates a lovely pinkish hue in your final dish.
Worldly Inspiration: Top your fried rice with a “smiling face” or arrange your veggies in fun patterns. Food can be both nourishing and artistic!
🥄 Ingredients
- For the Fried Rice:
- 1 cup uncooked rice
- 1 cup water (for the rice cooker)
- 1 small beetroot, peeled and chopped
- Peas (as many as you like)
- Fresh basil leaves
- Oil (olive oil or your preferred type)
- Miso (optional, for flavor)
- Salt to taste
- Vegetarian oyster sauce or sweet soy sauce
- For the Side Dishes (optional):
- Morning glory (water spinach), sugar snap peas, French beans, carrot, corn kernels, beetroot slices, beetroot sprouts, wild yellow tomatoes
- For the Fried Shiitake:
- Dry shiitake mushrooms, soaked and sliced
- Miso, salt, oil, vegetarian oyster sauce or sweet soy sauce
📝 Step by Step
Rice Cooker Prep
Rinse 1 cup of rice (optional) and place it in your rice cooker with 1 cup of water. Add the chopped beetroot on top. Switch on the rice cooker and let it do its magic. Once done, transfer the hot beetroot rice to a bowl and toss with a small drizzle of oil.
Give It Some Color
Heat a little oil in a frying pan or wok. Stir in a spoonful of miso (optional) and a small pinch of salt. Next, add the beetroot rice you just cooked. Toss in your peas and some fresh basil. Fry everything for about 5 minutes, stirring continuously.
Final Touch
Drizzle a bit of vegetarian oyster sauce or sweet soy sauce over the rice, mixing well. Taste and adjust salt or sauce as needed. Remove from heat and set aside.
Optional Side: Savory Mushrooms
Soak dry shiitake in warm water for about 30 minutes. Slice them. In a separate pan, heat oil, a small pinch of salt, and a bit of miso (optional). Add the shiitake. Pour in about ½ cup water along with a splash of vegetarian oyster sauce or sweet soy sauce. Cook until the water evaporates, then remove from heat.
Optional Side Dishes
Lightly blanch or sauté your morning glory, sugar snaps, French beans, carrot, corn, or any other vegetables you like. Season with salt or miso. Add fresh beetroot sprouts and wild yellow tomatoes raw on the side for extra freshness and color.
🍽️ How to Serve Your Smiling Fried Rice
- Creative Plating: Use your veggies to form a fun design—like a smiley face or flower shape—on top of the rice.
- Extra Protein: Add fried tofu, tempeh, or chickpeas for a more filling meal.
- Lunchbox Friendly: Pack the fried rice and mushroom side in separate containers to keep the mushrooms saucy and the rice fluffy.
🧠 The Science Behind Success
Color Chemistry: Beetroot’s pigments tint the rice pink, making the dish visually striking and packed with antioxidants.
Mushroom Umami: Shiitake mushrooms are naturally rich in glutamates, amplifying savory depth in any stir-fry or fried rice.
📖 Returning to Routine
After a heartfelt family visit—full of museum trips, music, and shared cultural moments—it’s comforting to get back to a simple home-cooked meal. This beetroot fried rice is both nostalgic and practical. All the leftover veggies from your garden harvest can find a place on the plate.
A “smiling face” arrangement isn’t just whimsical, it’s a reminder that food can be a fun reflection of our mood. Even on days when we’re not feeling our best, creativity in the kitchen can help us find a moment of joy.
❓ Reader Questions Answered
Any rice cooker will do. If you don’t have one, simmer the rice and beetroot on the stovetop with a tight-fitting lid until the water is absorbed.
No worries. Salt plus a splash of soy sauce or tamari will provide a similar savory effect. Adjust to your taste.
Yes. Fresh shiitake doesn’t require soaking and cooks faster. Just slice it and add directly to the pan with oil and seasoning.
Absolutely. Day-old rice is often preferred for fried rice as it’s less sticky. Simply add the chopped beetroot while reheating if you didn’t cook them together initially.