Last weekend, I saw my son eat more food in one sitting then I’ve ever seen him eat in his life. Also, he graduated from Pre-K. These two things are related.

When Sid was 20 months old we enrolled him in daycare. His daycare is one of those places for children of working parents. They open at 7am and close at 6pm. Kids start there as early as 2 months and stay there until they go to kindergarten. When they graduate, it’s kind of a big deal, and it comes with a lot of big emotions.

Sunday evening after graduation, I found myself alone in the kitchen with my feelings. To keep from weeping, I attempted to recreate the Peruvian fried rice dish that daycare serves for lunch on Thursdays. It’s the dish I saw Sid eat—like I’ve never seen him eat before—at his graduation party.

The dish is Arroz Chaufa, Peruvian fried rice. Both of my kids adore it. It’s got 3 kinds of protein, “a little bit of salad,” and a whole lot of sentimental value. Perfect to cook up on a Sunday for lunches all week. And if you’re not into hot dogs, I think this dish would be just fine without them.

• Arroz Chaufa (Peruvian Fried Rice) •
recipe cobbled together from various sources

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked rice
2 cups water
a dash of oil
2 tsp minced garlic
3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
1 breast from a roast chicken, shredded
3 eggs
1 tablespoon of milk
4 hot dogs, chopped into approx. ½ inch rounds (optional)
1 bunch scallions, chopped
½ red pepper, diced
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
Soy sauce to taste
Salt & pepper to taste

Put rice, water, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, a dash of oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a saucepan, bring to a simmer, cover and simmer until done. Turn off the heat and leave covered.

Meanwhile, Shred the chicken breast and set aside.

Mix the eggs and the milk together with a fork. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a nonstick skillet and cook the egg, scrambling and chopping with a wooden spoon, until cooked and in bite-sized pieces. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add another tablespoon of oil to the skillet and add the hot dogs. Cook until browned on both sides. Remove with a slotted spoon leaving the oil in the skillet. Set the hot dogs aside.

Add the last tablespoon of oil to the oil in the skillet and cook the garlic, ginger, red pepper and scallion until soft. 

Add the rice, hot dog, egg, chicken and vegetables to a pot or skillet large enough to accommodate it all, and stir to combine. Add soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste and serve. If it’s dry, add a tablespoon of hot water.