Spicy Fried Rice

I don't know about where you live, but for me it's so hot right now, it's disgusting and unrelenting. I am not generally a baby about hot weather because I try to enjoy the seasons for what they are but its been a bit much for me. I have been craving lots of cold fruit and watery foods which is a great way to stay hydrated but sometimes you need something a little heartier that sticks with you. On Sunday, I found myself craving this Spicy Fried Rice that I came up with a few months back. I was looking to recreate a dish I had at a local Thai restaurant and I think the result turned out as good or better than what I remember. My husband and kids love this fried rice, even my daughter who is not usually a huge fan of these types of vegetables enjoys it. It's actually surprisingly easy to make fried rice at home that tastes just like take out but the best part is that you get to control the ingredients.

Benefits of eating spicy foods

Some people love spicy foods and others don't. You can make this rice suit your taste by adding more or less of the hot pepper to your liking. If you do like things spicy (as I do) it's great to know that something that tastes so good is also great for your health.

Spicy foods for pain relief

Have you even been eating something so hot and spicy your mouth was burning but you couldn't stop eating? Capsaicinoids are responsible for the burning sensation caused by eating chile pepper. In response to that pain, the body releases endorphins. Endorphins are chemicals that flood us with "good vibes", they cause us to experience a sensation of pleasure and combat pain in the body.

Spicy foods for cardiovascular health

Eating spicy foods may have cardiovascular benefits. Regular consumption of capsaicin may reduce blood pressure due to a relaxing effect on blood vessels and may also reduce the incidence of heart disease. Capsaicin appears to stave off the formation of blood clots due to its purported impact on platelet function, reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Capsaicin consumption also exhibits a cholesterol lowering effect.

Spicy foods for a healthy metabolism

Capsaicin is believed to reduce insulin resistance, a key factor in developing Type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance is when cells in the body do not respond as well to the effects of insulin. The result is that the cells do not utilize glucose for energy as readily, causing blood sugar levels to rise. Although it is not understood why, it has been shown in studies that people who have consumed capsaicin-rich foods tend to eat less throughout the day. Capsaicin seems to reduce hunger which can be helpful if you're trying to lose weight or cut back on certain kinds of foods.

Eating spicy foods in hot climates to cool down

It might be a coincidence that people living in some of the hottest parts of the world tend to consume large amounts of spicy foods; for example, Mexico, Central and South America, Thailand, India, and other Asian countries. When you eat something spicy it can cause you to break out in a sweat. Sweating, despite how gross it feels, is the body's way of cooling itself. Unfortunately for some, this cooling effect is more pronounced in a dry, hot environment than in a humid one.

Other healthy ingredients in Spicy Fried Rice

Now that we know how healthy chile peppers can be, let's talk about some of the other healthy ingredients in this tasty dish.

• Organic Brown Rice - a good source of fiber, always buy organic because non-organic has been shown to contain high levels arsenic
• Green Onions - rich in sulphur to support detoxification in the body and fight cancer
• Fennel Seed - a carminative that may help improve digestion and reduce gas (especially from the onions)
• Coriander seed - rich source of antioxidants
• Eggs -I buy local organic pastured eggs from the farm where we get our CSA. Pastured eggs are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids which are so important for brain and cardiovascular health
• Bacon - Ha! I was just seeing if you were paying attention. Though not exactly healthy, the bacon really adds flavor. If you choose not to use it the recipe is still delicious though somewhat lacking in "umami" flavor so in it's place, I would suggest adding some fish sauce at the end of the cooking or some liquid smoke.

OK now let's get to the recipe for Spicy Fried Rice

I usually serve this with my own version of the ethnic food festival favorite, Chicken on a Stick, which I usually make on the grill. However, this time I made it with Deer Meat Backstrap Steak on a Stick which was even better.

Spicy Fried Rice

Spicy Thai style fried rice dish with egg, bacon, carrot, onion, and green pepper, and spiced with fennel, coriander, garlic, and hot cayenne pepper

• 3-4 cups organic brown rice (cooked, preferably leftover)
• 4 strips bacon
• 1/2 cup finely chopped veggies (ex. 1 carrot, a handful of peas, green cabbage, celery, or any combination of these)
• 1 sweet bell pepper (any color (I usually use green))
• 2 eggs
• 6 green onions (chopped finely)
• 4 tsp. soy sauce (I use gluten free)
• toasted sesame oil (to drizzle)
• fennel seed (to taste)
• coriander (whole or ground) (to taste)
• garlic powder (to taste)
• ground hot cayenne pepper (to taste)

1. Cook rice according to package directions and leave to cool or cook the day before and place in the fridge until you are ready

2. Heat a wok or large skillet and add the strips of bacon. Cook til the bacon is lightly browned. To make this a meatless dish, eliminate the bacon and instead skip this step and add 1-2 TBSP. olive oil to the pan and move to the next step

3. Remove bacon to a paper towel to drain but leave behind the bacon grease. Add the chopped veggies except the green onions and cook a minute or so until tender.

4. Add the beaten eggs on top of the veggies by swirling around the pan, not pouring it all in one puddle. Do not stir the eggs.

5. When the edges of the eggs are beginning to appear cooked, add the rice directly on top of the eggs and veggies. Turn and swirl the rice around, trying to slice up the eggs but without compressing them.

6. Heat the rice through then remove from heat.

7. Add the soy sauce, green onions, and other spices to your taste. Drizzle with sesame oil to taste and serve. Sometimes if I have it on hand, I chop some fresh Thai basil to put on top before serving.

If you make this dish let me know what you think. What are your favorite spicy foods?

References

Bosland P. W. (2016). Hot stuff - do people living in hot climates like their food spicy hot or not?. Temperature (Austin, Tex.), 3(1), 41–42. https://doi.org/10.1080/23328940.2015.1130521

Raman, R. (2017 March 19). 8 Impressive Health Benefits of Cayenne Pepper. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/8-benefits-of-cayenne-pepper

Rauf, D. (2019 December 20). Chili Peppers May Help Prevent Deadly Heart Attack and Stroke, Study Suggests. Everyday Health. https://www.everydayhealth.com/heart-health/chili-peppers-may-help-prevent-deadly-heart-attack-and-stroke-study-suggests/