JAPANESE-STYLE FRIED RICE

There is no better use for leftover rice than chahan. A brief trip in a pan resurrects the grains and a few pantry ingredients—little more than eggs, oil, and salt—transform tired rice into a super-satisfying meal. To give the humble dish a little flair, I whip up a saucy broth filled with vegetables and shrimp and pour it on at the last minute. Of course, you can add any ingredients you like—peas or asparagus, kimchi or Japanese pickles, pork, or even, as I do at Morimoto Napa, duck confit.

SERVES 4

• ¼ cup diced (¼-inch cubes) carrot
• 12 medium shrimp (about 6 ounces), peeled and deveined, cut crosswise into thirds
• ¼ cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• ¼ cup fresh or frozen shelled edamame
• ¼ cup diced (¼-inch pieces) fresh shiitake mushrooms or rehydrated dried shiitakes
• 2¼ cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons sake (Japanese rice wine)
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• White or black pepper to taste
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 6 packed cups cooked short-grain white rice , preferably 1 or 2 days old
• 1 generous tablespoon thinly sliced scallion greens

Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the carrot and cook 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook until they’re just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Drain and then return them to the pot. Add the corn, edamame, shiitakes, chicken stock, soy sauce, sake, sugar, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. In a small container, stir together the cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of water until smooth. Gradually add the cornstarch mixture to the pot, stirring constantly. Let the stock mixture come to a boil again and cook just until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the sesame oil and pepper to taste; keep warm, covered.