Jambalaya Fried Rice

My very favorite jambalaya comes from the cookbook La Bouche Creole by Leon Soniat. Mr. Soniat was an old-school Louisiana chef, and he wrote a food column for the New Orleans Times Picayune for many years. I mean it when I say his is THE best jambalaya I’ve ever had anywhere, ever. I may fiddle with the meats sometimes, but I wouldn’t dream of messing with the seasoning. It’s absolutely perfect.

Actually the only complaint I’ve ever had about Leon Soniat’s jambalaya is the same complaint I have with every jambalaya everywhere. Sometimes the rice gets gummy or weird. Now that probably has nothing to do with the recipe, and everything to do with rice, the cooking method, the cook, and maybe even the weather for all I know. How old is the raw rice? Did you rinse it? Is it converted rice? It’s not brown rice, is it? You didn’t stir it during cooking or take the lid off while it was steaming, did you? How long did you let it cool before fluffing it? You used a fork to fluff it, right? And on and on.

I promise there’s a point here somewhere. See, I’m working on a cookbook for small households. I really want to include some Gulf Coast family favorites, but things like jambalaya make so much at one time. I was trying to figure out how to make a smaller quantity of several dishes, when I ran across a recipe for Jambalaya Fried Rice. I didn’t even know Jambalaya Fried Rice was a thing, but I knew immediately that it would solve both the mushy rice problem, and the huge batch problem! I adapted the La Bouche Creole flavors to the fried rice method, and I may never go back unless I’m making jambalaya for a big crowd. (And probably not even then.) The seasoning is still perfect, and the rice texture is exactly right every single time.

Fried rice requires cold cooked rice, and chilling the rice overnight is best. You can buy cooked rice straight off the grocery shelf these days, and if you do, grab 3 pouches and toss them in the fridge when you get them home. I take the more frugal route: I microwave regular rice and refrigerate it. I made microwaved rice while I cleaned up the kitchen after dinner one evening, stuck it in the fridge, and made Jambalaya Fried Rice the next day.

Rice is so incredibly easy to make in the microwave that I can tell you how to do it in one sentence.  (Okay, 2 sentences.) Put one cup rice, two cups water, and one teaspoon salt in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, cook uncovered on high for 18 minutes. Let sit for 5 or 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork. That’s it! Microwaves are different, and you may need to experiment a bit with the timing. You can swap chicken stock for the water if you like.

Finally, this Jambalaya Fried Rice comes together so fast that you’ll need to gather and prep your ingredients before starting. Even with chopping vegetables and slicing sausage, you can have a flavorful, authentic, jambalaya on the table in half an hour or less.

And it’s deeeee-licious!