Veggie fried rice

I MISSED out on TWO parties last night, but it was no surprise when I heard that a couple of my colleagues had attended.
The Fab BB who, rather strangely, only seems to go to parties that are hosted in shops, went to some shindig arranged by Top Man.
I thought he might have been put off following his previous disastrous experience at Habitat but no... like a brave soldier he ploughed on, determined to suffer for his art.
And this time he was rewarded. Full of the joys of spring this morning he announced he had bought up plenty of bargains.
Roberts, ever the snob when it comes to clothes, expressed amazement that the original Gucci guy would lower himself to buy from a high street department store, but the Fab BB brushed aside his protests. "Work clothes, Mr Roberts, work clothes," he pointed out.
But even the Fab one is outdone by Party girl Lyds when it comes to the freebie do. Not only did the Penarth babe go to Top Shop, but she then wandered on to a new six-bar superclub called Oceana, which was hosting a Champagne reception.
Before leaving Top Shop, however, she politely asked the hosts if they wouldn't mind looking after her shopping - it would, apparently, cramp her style.
So off she toddled to have a good old rave around the new place.
Things turned sour, however, at the end of the night when she arrived at the cloakrooms and asked for her coat back, only to find the belt was missing.
"I don't suppose it's worth logging it as lost property," said the unhelpful cloakroom attendant who, no doubt, was eyeing a sharp exit at the end of the night.
Lyds was having none of it. "Course it is, my coat will be ruined without that belt!" she stormed, bringing the head honchos of the new club racing to see what the commotion was.
Our heroin then departed with her dignity, only to learn that some rather enthusiastic bouncers had turfed her boyfriend out for "loitering around" in the foyer. How very dare they!
Next morning and Lyds, as usual, looks bright as a button as she regales the story of the lost belt, adding the rider: "Actually, now I think about it I probably left it in Top Shop - but its the principle, isn't it?"
Quite right, girl.

As for me I had a boring night in front of Big Brother on TV as I was still feeling pretty shattered from the Boozeday Tuesday extravaganza.
So I opted to cook a favourite Chinese recipe of mine which contains Preserved Vegetables that you can buy in a jar from many continental shops.
INGREDIENTS:
4 oz preserved vegetable,
11/2 teaspoons groundnut oil
1lb minced beef or pork
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine or dry sherry
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp sugar
TO DO:
Heat a wok until it is hot and smoking, add the oil and keep it hot.
Then cook the beef or pork until it is brow.
Add the chopped, preserved veg and stir in, then add the other ingredients.
Serve with vegetable fried rice
INGREDIENTS:
Rice (boiled then cooled)
2 tsp sesame oil
2 eggs
2 tsp sesame oil
chopped carrot
chopped mange tout
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 tsp spring onion, white parts only, chopped
Tin of bean sprouts.

TO DO
Mix the eggs with sesame oil and leave to stand.
Heat the oil in a frying pan till smoking
Add the chopped carrot and mange tout
Stir fry for a while then add the cooked rice.
Add salt and pepper, then pour in the egg.
Cook for a minute then add the spring onions and tin of bean sprouts
Cook and stir for 3-5 mins until egg sets.
Serve with the minced beef