Okay, so “mix Pacific Rim cuisine,” huh? Sounds fancy, but really, it’s just about throwing a bunch of stuff from around the Pacific Ocean into a pot and seeing what happens. That’s what I did, anyway.
The Prep Work
First, I raided my fridge and pantry. I found some leftover cooked chicken, a sad-looking bell pepper, half an onion, and some rice I cooked yesterday. Perfect! Then, I dug around for some sauces. Soy sauce? Check. Sriracha? You bet. Some weird pineapple-mango thing I got from the store? Why not.
- Leftover chicken
- Bell Pepper
- Half onion
- Leftover Rice
- Soy Sauce
- Sriracha
- Pineapple Mango Sauce
I also grabbed some frozen edamame because, hey, veggies are good, right?
The Cooking (aka The Fun Part)
I chopped up the onion and bell pepper – didn’t bother being neat about it. Then I heated up some oil in my biggest pan. I don’t have a wok, which is probably a crime against Pacific Rim cuisine, but whatever. My pan works fine.
I threw in the onions and peppers and stirred them around until they got a little soft. Then, I tossed in the chicken and edamame, just to warm them up. I poured in some soy sauce and sriracha – not too much, just enough to give it a kick. And because I was feeling adventurous, I added a big dollop of that pineapple-mango sauce.
Stir, stir, stir. It started to smell pretty good, actually. A little sweet, a little spicy, a little… well, a mix of everything.
Rice is Life
Finally, I dumped in the rice. I used to only use freshly cooked rice, but I’ve learned that day-old rice actually works better for this kind of thing. It’s less sticky. I mixed everything together, making sure the rice got coated in all that saucy goodness.
The Taste Test
And that was it! I scooped some onto a plate and took a bite. Honestly? It was pretty darn good! The chicken was tender, the veggies were slightly crunchy, and the sauce was this crazy mix of flavors that somehow worked. It was sweet, savory, and spicy all at once.
I finished the bowl, then finished the rest, that was a big bowl.
So, yeah, that’s my “mix Pacific Rim cuisine” adventure. It’s not authentic, it’s not pretty, but it’s tasty, and that’s all that matters, right?
