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Beef and Ginger Fried Rice

This is a truly comforting meal: rice crisps up golden and crunchy with ground beef, leeks and ginger, each grain absorbing all those rich flavors. Make sure to use the back of a wooden spoon to press down on the rice for an extra crispy crust. We pickled radishes with plum vinegar—a sour and salty vinegar made with Japanese plums—which we love for the pink hue it lends to veggies. If wanting to make the bok choy salad: Pick cilantro leaves and tender stems. Halve bok choy and rinse under cold water to remove grit; dry well. Slice on a diagonal into ½-inch pieces. Toss bok choy with radishes and vinegar. Top fried rice with some of the bok choy and radish salad (drizzle with any dressing in the bowl) and garnish with cilantro. Serve remaining salad on the side. Enjoy!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: Asian
Servings: 4
Author: Martha Stewart, with recipe change from me

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups medium grain rice
  • cups water
  • salt; optional
  • 1 1/2 cups radishes thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 oz plum vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 large leek tender white part only, chopped
  • 12 ounces baby bok choy chopped
  • 1 oz fresh ginger peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 lb. lean ground beef
  • 3 tablespoons tamari or low sodium soy sauce
  • handful fresh cilantro

Instructions

  • Cook rice: Rinse rice in a fine-mesh sieve until water runs clear. Combine rice, 1¼ cups water, and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until rice is tender and water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before uncovering. You can also use a rice cooker if you have one.
  • Prep pickled veggies: Combine the sliced radishes with plum vinegar and toss; set aside.
  • Cook aromatics: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large (preferably nonstick) skillet or wok over medium high. Add the leeks and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the ginger and continue to cook until softened and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the bok choy and cook/sauté for another 2 minutes. Season with salt and transfer veggies to a plate.
  • Add the ground beef directly into the empty skillet and cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until beef is cooked and browned completely, for about 5 minutes. Season with salt. Return the ginger, leeks and bok choy back into skillet.
  • Add in the cooked rice to skillet (adding 1 tablespoon of oil if the rice looks dry) and stir to combine. Cook, pressing down with a wooden spoon to allow rice to crisp, tossing occasionally and repeating, until most of the rice is crispy, for about 6 to 8 minutes; stir in the tamari or soy sauce. Taste and add a little more soy sauce if needed.
  • Serve fried rice with the pickled radishes on top (optional) and garnish with fresh cilantro. Enjoy!