Mushroom Crispy Rice

Trim the ends of the shiitake, oyster, and shimeji mushrooms. To clean the mushrooms, soak in a bowl with 2 cups of room temperature water and 1 tbsp white vinegar for about 5 minutes. Rinse the mushrooms with water and pat dry with a clean paper towel.

Heat up a 9-10 inch nonstick pan on medium to high heat. Add the oil and mushrooms. Allow it to sit and cook for 5 minutes before adding the soy sauce, maple syrup, and black pepper. Mix everything well until the sauce coats the mushrooms, then allow it to sit and cook for another 5 minutes until it absorbs all the sauce. The mushrooms should have a slightly crispy, golden-brown exterior. Set aside.

In the same pan, wipe off any excess sauce with a paper towel. Reheat the pan. Add oil and leftover cooked white rice. It’s best to use cold, day old rice to achieve the crispy layer. If using warm, cooked rice, allow it to cool down before cooking. Season with garlic salt, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and white pepper. Toss the rice until it is fully coated with the sauce. Smooth out the rice by pressing it down with a spatula until it is an even layer with the pan. Allow it to cook on medium to high heat for about 10 minutes, monitoring it every 2-3 minutes to make sure its not burnt. You can test it for readiness by carefully lifting the rice, it should be intact and form a golden, crispy bottom layer.

Gently transfer the crispy rice to a large round plate by sliding it over. Top with the mushrooms and fresh scallions. Enjoy immediately!