How many times has your phone, in one incident or another, gotten wet? Even if it hasn’t happened to you yet at Wes, if you’re anything like me then the odds are good that at some point you will have to make a mad dash to Weshop to buy rice. Five points and several hours later, your phone will be saved. You will also have a two pound bag of rice in your room.

As college students we can’t really afford to waste, so here’s my proposal: next time you happen into possession of a large amount of rice (be it from phone saving or otherwise), make a meal out of it. A simple fried rice dish is quick, affordable, and ridiculously tasty. It’s also easy to cook in bulk, so you can feed a whole group of your friends.

Below is the very basic recipe I used. I initially looked online for recipes, but I found that many of the suggested ingredients were too expensive or difficult to find. Really, you can add whatever you have on hand, including vegetables, tofu, or sauces. Ginger, green onions, and cashews are always great additions to stir-fry.

Ingredients like salt and pepper are good investments if you’re planning to cook again, but the initial purchase can get pricy. I recommend talking with a group of dorm mates about splitting the cost of staple foods, pots, and pans. Cooking is a communal experience, so never feel shy about asking that random girl down the hall if she happens to have soy sauce or a rice cooker.

Not only is cooking with friends more fun, but the cleanup also goes really quickly. Even if that is not your initial reason for enlisting their aid, it is a fantastic perk!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups of long grain rice

1/2 onion, diced

5 eggs

1 bag frozen mixed vegetables

1 tbsp. olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

soy sauce, to taste

 

Fried Rice

1. Cook rice fully using whatever method you prefer (I generally use a rice cooker).

2. In a large pan, heat olive oil and sauté vegetables and onion until vegetables are warm and onion is translucent.

3. In a separate bowl, lightly beat eggs. Pour eggs into pan and scramble gently (about five minutes).

4. Add rice and stir all ingredients together for three minutes, seasoning with salt, pepper, and soy sauce. I also added garlic powder and sriracha for a little kick. Feel free to get creative!