Hong Kong Style Ketchup Fried Rice

If you’re like me, your friends laugh when you try to talk to them about football. I’m actually quite well-versed in first downs, punts, and incompletes–I even played some touch football in high school–but somehow I never found the patience to sit down for a game, and sooner or later everyone just assumed that I wasn’t interested in the sport (which was mostly true).

Now that the end of grad school is in sight, though (!!!), and now that I’m plotting elaborate schemes on how to use the piles and piles of free time that I’m sure post-grad freedom has to offer, I’m toying with the idea of joining a…wait for it…fantasy football league!

Am I kidding? Am I? Hmmm?

I might be–apparently it’s a huge time commitment, and the only thing I can think about committing to right now is a large bar of chocolate–but until I decide that fateful question next season, I’m going to stick to whipping up recipes for the big game instead. In the past, I’ve shared savory sides like my favorite roasted maple brussel sprouts; I’ve also made sweets like these white chocolate cookie butter shortbread cookies. This year, however, with the big game so close to Lunar New Year’s, I chose to make one of my favorite Chinese comfort foods to share.

I know what you’re probably thinking: ketchup? In rice?? If you didn’t grow up eating this dish, I’ll admit that it sounds like a weird concept. But I’ve been eating this meal since I was five and I can tell you for a fact that it’s a staple that you absolutely need for those days when you have wayyy too many leftovers waiting to be used up. We were cooking last night before a potluck when my friend tried a bite, jumped up, and exclaimed: “That’s GOOD. Dang, is it just ketchup and soy sauce? I’m going to make this every single day!”

Here’s what you’ll need: rice, add-in ingredients (I used eggs and vegetarian meat), oil for stir-frying, soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste, and (of course) ketchup.

So do yourself a favor this season. Go off the wild end. Make ketchup fried rice. You’ll have fans flocking to your house all big game long (and trust me, they won’t be coming for the sports!).