VEGETARIAN FRIED RICE

Fans of Thai cuisine don't have to visit Bangkok or learn food carving, since Thai recipes are widely available. Here's a modern dish that's relatively simple to prepare. 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic 3 ounces small broccoli florets (about 1 cup) 3/4 cup sliced onions 2/3 cup sliced snow peas 2/3 cup diced tomatoes 1/4 cup diced mushrooms 1/4 cup julienned carrots 1/4 cup diced celery 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper 4 cups cooked white or brown rice 2 tablespoons oyster sauce 1 1/2 tablespoons thai fish sauce 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 1/2 tablespoons diced scallions 1/4 cup thinly sliced leeks

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add garlic and saute until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add broccoli, onions, snow peas, tomatoes, mushrooms, carrots, celery, and bell pepper, and stir-fry 1 minute. Add rice, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and black pepper, and cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Transfer to a platter, sprinkle with scallions and leeks.

Serves 4. Adapted from Tommy Tang's Modern Thai Cooking, by Tommy Tang (Doubleday).