Beef and Cabbage Fried Rice

With only two people to cook for (including myself), I found that preparing my family's traditional corned beef and cabbage (yes, I know it's not Irish - but we're immigrants, so that makes it authentic, right?) left me with a veritable feast of leftovers. The mashed potatoes were no problem. The corned beef made a delicious hash. But the cabbage proved to be a challenge, so I came up with this delicious fried rice. Is it even remotely close to authentic Asian cuisine of any culture? I doubt it. But it is tasty, and that's all I'm concerned about.

Beef and Cabbage Fried Rice

1 pound beef, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
2-4 tablespoons soy sauce, shoyu or tamari (I used tamari)
2 tablespoons stir-fry sauce (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flake
1/2 head cabbage, thinly shredded
3 cups cooked rice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper



1. Season the beef with salt and pepper and stir fry in a wok or other large pan over high heat until cooked about halfway through, 2-3 minutes. Don't worry about over-crowding the pan, I found it didn't matter.


2. Add the onions, garlic, soy sauce, stir fry sauce, ginger, and red pepper flake. Stir and cook until the onions are soft.


3. Add the cabbage (add more oil if necessary). Cook until wilted and about 2/3 its original volume. For volume reference, the picture above is only half the cabbage.



4. Add the rice and mix well. Cook until the rice is warmed through and season to taste.


5. Serve and enjoy!