Crispy fried rice with asparagus and radishes

Prep: 15 to 20 minutes Cook: 15 to 20 minutes Makes: 3 to 6 servings

You can use whatever leftovers you have on hand with this technique, but if you want a recipe for inspiration, here’s the dish with spring ingredients to serve as a side or main, possibly topped with fried eggs or sauteed nuts.

1 with bunch green red tops, radishes about

1 pound, halved as needed to bite size

1 bunch asparagus, about 1 pound

3 tablespoons oil

6 cups cooked rice, hot or cold

½ cup frozen peas

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Kosher salt

1 tablespoon soy sauce

3 scallions, greens sliced thin (save white roots to regrow in a jar of water on your window sill)

Butter, plus lemon or white rice vinegar

1. Soak

the radishes to wash well of sandy soil; separate the greens from the red roots. For the asparagus, snap off tough bottoms for compost; snap spears in half, separate stems from tips.

2. In a cold wok,

skillet or wide-bottomed saucepan, add oil, then swirl to coat. Add rice, then red radish roots and asparagus stems. Season with half of the pepper and salt to taste. Cover, then turn heat on medium-high. Cook until you hear sizzling and smell rice toasting, about 5 minutes.

3. Turn

the heat down, then carefully uncover. Scrape down any stray rice grains. Re-cover, then turn heat to medium and cook, about 10 minutes. Turn heat down again, uncover, break up any clumps of rice and check that a crust is forming underneath. Add a little more oil as needed. Add radish greens, asparagus tips and frozen peas, plus remaining pepper and salt to taste. Re-cover, then turn heat to medium; cook, about 5 more minutes.

4. Turn

off heat, uncover, add soy sauce around the edge of rice, then slide your spatula around the bottom crust. Garnish with scallion greens and butter; season to taste with lemon or vinegar for bright acidity. Serve directly from the pan, breaking crunchy crust as needed, golden side up.

Nutrition information per serving (for 6 servings):

298 calories, 7 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 51 g carbohydrates, 3 g sugar, 7 g protein, 610 mg sodium, 3 g fiber