Cook up a batch of rice on a Sunday and you can make fried rice dinners throughout the week. For a vegetarian version of this dish, leave out the chicken and substitute soy sauce for the fish sauce. If you do eat meat, this is a great way to make it stretch. Have all of your ingredients prepared and at arm’s length before you begin, as the cooking goes very quickly.

2 heaped cups broccoli florets

2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

3/4 pound chicken breast, sliced thin across the grain

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 bunch scallions, both white and green parts, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger

1 or 2 serrano chiles, minced (seeded for a milder dish)

1 large carrot, peeled and diced small or cut in 2-inch matchsticks

2 eggs, beaten and seasoned with salt and pepper

6 cups cooked basmati brown rice (1 1/2 cups uncooked)

1 to 2 tablespoons Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce (to taste)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1. Steam the broccoli florets for two to three minutes. Rinse with cold water, and set aside.

2. Season the sliced chicken breast with salt and pepper. Heat a large wok or a large, heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until a drop of water evaporates upon contact. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil, swirl in the skillet and add the sliced chicken breast. Stir-fry until cooked through, three to four minutes. Add the carrot and broccoli. Stir-fry for two minutes. Add another tablespoon of the oil and the scallions, garlic, ginger and chiles. Stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the beaten eggs, stir for a few seconds until scrambled, and add the rice. Cook the rice: scoop it up, press it into the pan and then scoop it up again, repeating for about two minutes. Add the fish sauce, stir together for about a half minute and sprinkle the cilantro over the top. Serve, garnishing each plate with cucumbers and lime wedges if desired. Diners can squeeze lime juice onto their rice as they eat.

Yield: Serves four to six.