Classic Thai Chicken Fried Rice

If using leftover cold rice: drizzle a teaspoon or two of oil on your fingers and work through the rice, separating clumps back into grains.

Place chopped chicken in a bowl and add soy sauce. Stir well and set aside. Next, combine all 'stir-fry sauce' ingredients together in a cup, stirring to dissolve sugar and pepper. Set aside.

Warm a wok or large frying pan over high or medium-high heat. Drizzle in 2 Tbsp. oil and swirl around, then add the white parts of the onion, garlic, and chili. Stir-fry 1 minute, then add the chicken. Stir-fry 2-3 minutes, or until chicken turns evenly opaque.

Add mushrooms and celery and stir-fry 2-3 minutes, until mushrooms and chicken are cooked through (celery should stay a little crunchy). If your wok/pan becomes too dry, add 1-2 Tbsp. chicken stock or white wine.

Keeping heat high, add the rice. Stir-fry using a spatula or other flat utensil to gently lift and turn the rice. Gradually begin adding the sauce you made, 1-2 Tbsp. at a time. Continue stir-frying 6-10 minutes, or until all the sauce has been added.

Add frozen peas and stir-fry to incorporate. Then push everything aside to reveal the center of the pan. Crack in the egg and quickly stir-fry to scramble. Note that the egg will dry out the pan - add a little more oil if you wish. Continue stir-frying everything together 2 more minutes or until rice is light and falls easily into separate grains.

Remove from heat and taste-test, adding more fish sauce until desired flavor and saltiness is achieved. If too salty, add a squeeze of lime juice. Top with reserved green onion. For those who like it extra spicy, serve Thai Chili Sauce on the side, and ENJOY!

If using a stainless steel wok or pan (not non-stick): Non-stick pans make frying easier, as there is more moisture kept in the pan. But if you don't have non-stick (my own wok is stainless steel), the pan can get too dry, especially after frying the egg. Adding a little oil can help - just push ingredients aside and drizzle some into the bottom of your pan, then continue stir-frying. Also, this will give your fried-rice a restaurant-looking 'shine' when served. Avoid adding any more stock or other liquids when frying the rice, or your rice will become too heavy and lumpy. Cheers!