Pork Fried Rice

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The Thai Pavilion in Astoria, Queens has the best pork fried rice I have ever eaten. I used to eat buckets of the stuff at their 30th Avenue location which is now closed and moved to another spot in the neighborhood.

Whenever I eat pork fried rice I compare it to the Pavilion. It has become my standard barer of all things fried rice. A single order would cost $9, which is a bit expensive, but it was enough for two people. The only bad thing about the price was that I had to get two orders for them to deliver because they required a minimum purchase of $10 to bring it to your door. (It is now a $15 minimum) It was light and spicy and perfectly prepared every time. Even cold leftovers directly from the fridge were good and didn’t clump up.

This recipe is my attempt at recreating the pork fried rice bliss of the Pavilion. The dish turned out delicious but I still think the Thai Pavilion has magic in their woks.

BEHIND THIS BITE
I took my Dad to eat at the Thai Pavilion during one of his visits and he agreed that the pork fried rice was outstanding. I was glad I got to take him to a nice restaurant that serves Asian cuisine. The majority of the Asian themed restaurants here in Fort Wayne are just run of the mill take-out joints or an all-you-can-eat buffet.

A good stir fry should come right out of a wok, to me, scooping beef and broccoli out of a hotel pan that has been on a buffet for two hours is low budget. Much like having a wine and cheese party with government cheese. It tastes ok but there is much better quality out there.

The best Asian restaurant experience that I’ve ever had was in Philadelphia. I don’t remember the name of the place but the beef chow fun I order was the best single Asian dish I have ever eaten and probably a top five meal of all-time on my list. I highly recommend finding a high-end Asian-style restaurant for special occasions - and I’m not talking about the Panda Express.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE
Serves 4; 25 minutes
6 Tbs Vegetable oil, divided
1/2 C Green onions, sliced
1/2 C Carrot, shredded
2 tsp Ginger, minced
1 Tbs Garlic, minced
1 lb Pork, diced
2 Eggs, beaten
2 C Leftover rice, cold
2 Tbs Soy sauce
1 Tbs Sriracha sauce

Sauté vegetables
In a wok or large fry pan heat oil over medium high heat, add onions, carrot and ginger saute until soft 2 to 3 minutes, season to taste, remove from pan and wipe clean.

Cook pork
Add oil to pan and let it get hot, 1 to 2 minutes add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add pork, season to taste and cook through, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from pan and wipe clean.

Cook Egg, rice, finish
Add remaining oil to pan, add eggs and scramble, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in rice, cook until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add soy sauce, sriracha, return pork and vegetables to pan and combine. Heat through, then serve.