Garlic Pepper Fried Rice W/ Beef or Chicken

ATM 67's Note:

This is my adaptation to Bobbie rice's Fried Rice recipe (http://www.recipezaar.com/Fried-Rice-8594). It's a good recipe, but it was missing two of my favorite flavors, garlic and red pepper.

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 tablespoon oil or 1 tablespoon butter or 1 tablespoon margarine
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 tablespoon oil or 1 tablespoon butter or 1 tablespoon margarine
• 1/8 cup minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes (or less depending on your heat tolerance)
• 16 ounces rib eye steaks or 16 ounces chicken breasts, 1/2 inch cubed
• 1 tablespoon oil or 1 tablespoon butter or 1 tablespoon margarine
• 1 large onion, medium dice
• 2 cups frozen peas and carrots
• 8 cups rice, prepared and cooled
• 1/4 cup soy sauce

Directions:

1. STEP 1.
2. In a hot wok, add the first tablespoon of oil and scramble the eggs, chopping them into bite size or smaller pieces while they cook.
3. When the eggs are cooked, remove them and set them aside in a clean dish.
4. Remove any bits of egg from the wok before moving on to the next step.
5. STEP 2.
6. In the same wok, quickly combine the second tablespoon of oil, garlic, crushed red pepper and meat, in that order. **If you wait long enough that you can smell the garlic warming before you add the other ingredients, you will burn your garlic. If you hesitate any at all to add the meat after adding the red pepper, it will burn and your lungs will feel like they are closing on you. DO NOT ASK HOW I KNOW! **
7. When the meat is cooked, remove it and set it aside in a clean dish.
8. STEP 3.
9. Still in the same wok, add the last tablespoon of oil and onion.
10. Once the onion begins to become translucent add the peas and carrots.
11. After the peas and carrots look as if they have thawed, add the cooked rice and drizzle the soy sauce in three or four portions over the rice. After adding each portion of the soy sauce, toss to coat the rice with soy sauce. More than flavor, we’re looking to color the rice evenly. More or less than ¼ cup of soy sauce may be necessary. I like a nice, even, golden brown color. That color seems to flavor the rice best. (If you like a darker fried rice, a few drops of dark soy sauce will go a long way for adding the desired color, but it adds no flavor.).
12. Once the rice has the right color, add the eggs from step 1 and the meat, garlic, red pepper mix from step 2, and combine all thoroughly. Stir constantly until rice is evenly heated.
13. Serve in bowls with extra soy sauce available to season to taste.