Rice to the occasion
Say it with me: Rice is life. A steaming bowl of this starchy grain can whet the appetite as it is, but why not take it up a notch and give it personality by turning it into fried rice? This savory dish with customized flavors and add-ins can easily elevate an otherwise simple meal.
It’s no wonder that the world’s biggest rice producer also lays claim to the origins of fried rice. Said to have been created in the Yangzhou province of China, fried rice was a culinary solution to avoiding waste by using up leftovers. This technique is quite relevant to us as well, as Filipinos ascribe deep value to food. Masama mag-aksaya ng pagkain (it’s bad luck to waste food), our elders would often say.
This was particularly true in our household. I grew up with home-cooked meals prepared by my mom. Being the budgeter around the house, mom’s cooking was defined by using a little bit of this, a little bit of that, so most of the time, the result had a little bit of flavor. It was a different case when my dad would cook, though – the kitchen would be a mess, the condiments from the pantry almost used up, but man, the finished product was always divine.
One of the heartiest meals he would prepare was fried rice. His version was always made with yesterday’s leftover rice, leftover meats, and leftover veggies. I remember it with bits of egg, perfectly seasoned, buttery, and all sorts of wonderful. I would scoop second and third servings onto my plate. It was so yummy I didn’t mind doing the kitchen cleanup afterward. It was this meek bowl of wonder that can stand up even to the most masterfully prepared buffet spread.
My dad’s fried rice brings back memories. One day it will take me to our summer vacations at the beach with the taste of seafood layered upon every spoonful. Another day it will stir up family barbecues past as I bite into pieces of meat and vegetables. It was like consuming an entirely new concoction each time, and it escapes me how last night’s bahaw was transformed into this delectable dish whose past life was unrecognizable.
Fried rice was a culinary solution to avoiding waste by using up leftovers.
As I went on to have a family of my own, the task of preparing home-cooked meals fell upon me. It was a daunting task on its own, and the fact that I wanted to capture flavors and turn them into memories made it even more challenging. I decided to start with my version of fried rice. It was then that I discovered a simple solution that made me rice to the occasion. It wasn’t a complex mix of sauces and spices. It wasn’t expensive deli meats. It was a product that was readily available and convenient to use.
When I first tried UFC Fun Chow I thought, “how can something that’s so easy to use level up my fried rice this much?” I concluded it was the bits. Back then, my dad would chop up whatever scraps he could find from previous days’ dinners. I did not have to do this now because UFC Fun Chow already has bits of real meat and vegetables. All it required was to have it mixed with leftover rice.
UFC Fun Chow is the ultimate pampasarap ng fried rice, giving a more exciting eating experience with its two variants, Seafood Yang Chow and Meaty Yang Chow.
UFC Fun Chow is the ultimate pampasarap ng fried rice, giving a more exciting eating experience with its two variants, Seafood Yang Chow and Meaty Yang Chow.
My father’s sensational fried rice is a tough act to follow. Thankfully, UFC Fun Chow enabled me to create my leveled-up version of fried rice. I serve it with the hope that someday it will make my family relive memories that are all sorts of wonderful.
Level up your fried rice with UFC Fun Chow. Transform bahaw into Fun Chow para talagang funalo sa sarap ang fried rice mo! Available in two variants, Seafood Yang Chow and Meaty Yang Chow, from leading supermarkets.
Visit the UFC Meal Masters FB page for more tips on how to level up your cooking.
Mobirise site software - Get more