Fried Rice

I LOVE fried rice! 

I am the only one in my family who could eat it everyday.  I could eat it for breakfast, lunch or supper.  I especially like it with pork barbecue, inihaw (grilled meat), binagoongan (pork bits in shrimp paste), spare ribs, tocino (caramel-cured meat) and beef tapa (dried or cured beef). 

Garlic fried rice is the most popular in the Philippines and easiest to prepare.  I learned to cook this when I was 7 or 8, basically, when I was tall enough to see the pan on our stove.  Then, I used to eat it with octopus-shaped hotdogs! =D

When I was assigned in Japan, I came across their version of the Chinese fried rice, the Chahan.  This version of the fried rice adds meat bits, carrots, onion shoots, egg (and sometimes shrimp) to the cold rice.  The restaurant near our flat served the best!  I usually eat it with yakiniku or moyashi - sometimes just as is! 

I was exposed to Nasi Goreng or Indonesian Fried Rice when I was assigned in Saudi Arabia.  Our chief cooks were from Indonesia, and they usually serve it once a week.  It tastes a little sweeter with a hint of soy sauce, together with chicken, peas.  Since it is from our neighbor, Indonesia, the taste suited us Filipinos.

Due to my new-found appreciation for the fried rice, I came across the different versions.  Read on for more details!

Bai cha - A Khmer variation of fried rice which includes Chinese sausages, garlic, shoyu, and herbs usually eaten with pork.
Canton (or Mui Fan) fried rice - a Cantonese dish of fried rice typically served "wet", with sauce or gravy on top.
Cha Han (チャーハン）- is Chinese fried rice suited to Japanese tastes, sometimes adding katsuobushi for flavor.　
Yangchow (or Yangzhou) fried rice - A fried rice dish consisting of generous portions of shrimp, scrambled egg, along with barbecued pork. This is the most popular fried rice served in Chinese restaurants, commonly referred to simply as "special fried rice" or "house fried rice."
Yuan yang fried rice - Fried rice dish topped with two different types of sauce, typically a savory white sauce on one half, and a red tomato-based sauce on the other half. Elaborated versions use the sauce to make a taichi ("yin-yang") symbol.
Thai fried rice (ข้าวผัด, Khao Pad or Khao Phad) - The flavor of this version is radically different from that of common fried rice, and comes from various additions not found in Chinese fried rice.
American Fried Rice (ข้าวผัดอเมริกัน, Khao pad Amerigan) - Bizarre as it sounds, this style of fried rice is actually a Thai invention of hot dogs, fried chicken, eggs as side dishes or mixed in with rice fried with ketchup. Apparently, this was served to G.I.'s during the Vietnam war,^{[citation needed]} but now has become very popular and commonplace all throughout Thailand.
Nasi goreng - a Malay and Indonesian version of fried rice. The main difference compared to fried rice is that it is cooked with sweet soy sauce (kecap manis). It is often accompanied by additional items such as a fried egg, fried chicken, satay, or keropok. Served in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the southern Philippines, and most of the neighboring countries. Also very popular in the Netherlands.
Chaufa - A popular version of fried rice in Peru and Ecuador. Brought by Asian immigrants, it combines the traditional Chinese recipe with a distinct touch of South American flavor.
Kimchi bokkeumbap or kimchi fried rice - A popular variety of fried rice prepared with Korean pickled cabbage, kimchi, and a variable list of other ingredients. Although a wide range of fried rice dishes are frequently prepared in Korean cuisine, often with whichever ingredients are handy, Kimchi Fried Rice is a popular variety.
Garlic fried rice - Also known as sinangag, this Filipino version only contains garlic and is often a breakfast fixture. Sinangag can be combined with other foods to create a new food like "Tapsilog" (a blended word incorporating Tapa [Meat],Sinangag, and Itlog [Egg])
Hawaiian fried rice – A common style of fried rice in Hawaii. Usually contains egg, green onions, peas, cubed carrots, and one or both of Portuguese sausage and Spam. Also sometimes available with kimchi added. Normally cooked in sesame oil with shoyu.

Writing this is making me hungry!  Chahan futatsu, yakiniku tampin hitotsu kudasai!

NBA's Best Turnaround

The Boston Celtics have secured themselves the homecourt advantage for all their playoff games.  Not only that, with their most recent 101-78 win against the Charlotte Bobcats, they find themselves at the top of the heap of the 30-team NBA, with 61 wins and 15 losses (with 5 games remaining). 

But this feat is lesser in stature than what the Celtics have accomplished in just a year.  They finished the 2006-2007 season with a 24-58 win-loss card, the 2nd worst last year.  Now they set the record for the biggest single-season turnaround, having passed San Antonio Spurs' 36 game differential the year before they acquired Tim Duncan.  And there are 5 more games.  If they win them all, then that record is gonna be very hard to shatter.

Going 24-58 was worth it, because that scenario helped them sign Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.  Together with Paul Pierce, they helped dismantle all the other teams.

Just how good are the Celtics this year?  Let me sum it up to you in numbers (as of 6 April):

42-2 record wherein they lead in double digits (20 wins where they lead by 20 or more)

35-7 record when they score more than 100 points

29-14 record against strong teams [32-1  record against weak teams]

50-8 record when they lead in field goal percentage

2 fewest double digit losses

6 fewest losses by more than 5 points

46 games over .500

I'm looking for a heck of a playoff series!  Let's aim for that 17th title!

If Boston wins the championship, it would be so green!!!  

Shiver

So I look in your direction
But you pay me no attention, do you?
I know you don't listen to me
'Cos you say you see straight through me, don't you?

on and on
From the moment I wake, to the moment I sleep
I'll be there by your side; just you try and stop me
I'll be waiting in line, just to see if you care

Oh…
Did you want me to change?
Well I'd change for good
And I want you to know that you'll always get your way
I wanted to say…

Don't you shiver
Shiver
Sing it loud and clear
I'll always be waiting for you

So you know how much I need you
But you never even see me, do you?
And is this my final chance of getting you

And on and on
From the moment I wake, to the moment I sleep
I'll be there by your side; just you try and stop me
I'll be waiting in line, just to see if you care

Oh…
Did you want me to change?
Well I'd change for good
And I want you to know that you'll always get your way
I wanted to say…

Don't you shiver
Don't you shiver
Sing it loud and clear
I'll always be waiting for you

Yeah I'll always be waiting for you
Yeah I'll always be waiting for you
Yeah I'll always be waiting for you, for you
I will always be waiting…

And it's you I see but you don't see me
And it's you I hear so loud and so clear
I sing it loud and clear
And I'll always be waiting for you

So I look in your direction
But you pay me no attention
And you know how much I need you
But you never even see me