Mrs Bailey’s Jewelled Rice

It’s like the perfect mix-and-match; just add whatever you fancy

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

If you asked Mrs B for her recipe for this, she’d just snort. It’s different every time, she’d tell you; just throw in what you like, she’d say, and plenty of it. Oh so very helpful.

Sneakily, then, totally behind her back, here at least is her method. Follow along according to your whim: what you have in the larder, what you brought back from the farmers’ market, whatevs.

You’ll need a bowl of cooked basmati rice, enough to feed everyone at your table. If you made that yesterday, it’ll be even better. (Dry rice fries better, is all. If you didn’t make it yesterday, make it as early as you can today, spread it out on a baking tray and set it somewhere a little warm.)

You’ll want some kind of protein. Shrimp are excellent; so are bite-size pieces of boneless chicken or pork, or both. Ham is splendid, chopped up smallish. Cooked beans are magnificent; I love to toss in a couple of handfuls of Mrs B’s peeled broad beans. Flageolets work delightfully too; so would any small white bean. If the protein(s) of your choice need to be cooked, heat a wok and add a splash of olive oil, sear ’em swiftly ahead of time and set them aside. Keep the wok handy.

You’ll want a couple of onions. Slice one of them finely, put an inch of vegetable oil in…