Serves 2
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Adlai, also known as “Job’s Tears” grows locally and is a great alternative to rice. I love its chewy texture (similar to al dente pasta) and somewhat nutty but mild flavor. It's packed full of fiber and has a low glycemic index, which means it helps keep you full for longer. The Adlai for this recipe is cooked in a fried rice style. 

As for the sauce, I made teriyaki sauce from scratch using coconut sugar to sweeten it, which is also a great alternative to regular cane sugar because it has a lower glycemic index. For the vegetables, it’s up to you what you’d like to mix in depending on what you have on hand. 


Ingredients:

  • 3 cups cooked and cooled Adlai, leftover would be the best
  • 1 to 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 small onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup diced carrots
  • 1/4 cup green peas
  • 1/4 cup corn kernels
  • 1/4 cup chopped green beans or bitsuelas
  • 4 to 5 tbsp teriyaki sauce, adjust depending on desired taste (homemade recipe follows)
  • Salt to taste
  • Dash of pepper
  • Sesame seeds and chopped spring onion, for topping

Steps

  1. Heat a large pan over high heat then add in the oil. Pour in 2 tbsp sesame oil.
  2. Sauté the onion and garlic until aromatic, around 1 minute. Add in the vegetables. Add a splash of water as needed to cook down the carrots. Cook the vegetables until tender.
  3. Add in the Adlai and teriyaki sauce. Mix well and then adjust the sauce based on your desired taste and season with some salt as needed.
  4. Cook the Adlai for 2 to 3 minutes then turn off the heat. Garnish with some sesame seeds and spring onions. Enjoy your Adlai while hot!

Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

Makes 1 cup

 Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce, or more as needed
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/3 to 1/2 cup coconut sugar, adjust according to desired sweetness
  • 1/2 tsp minced ginger
  • 1/4 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch diluted in 2 tbsp room temperature water

 

Teriyaki Sauce Steps

  1. Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add in soy sauce, water, and sugar. Start with 1/4 cup soy sauce and taste before adding more soy sauce, if needed. Leave to simmer over medium-high heat until it starts to boil. Add in the garlic and ginger. Keep mixing until the sugar has dissolved. You can also add more sugar and adjust depending on your desired sweetness.
  2. Mix the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. While mixing, pour the slurry into the teriyaki sauce and mix until it thickens. Leave to simmer over medium-high heat until it boils and thickens. Once it thickens, taste the sauce, and adjust the seasonings accordingly. Turn off the heat. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
  3. Leave the sauce to cool before storing the sauce in a jar or an air-tight container. Can be refrigerated for up to 1 month until ready to use. Note that the starch can thicken when cold, so mix the sauce well before using it.