I love a takeaway, however, they are not the most affordable option, especially if you're on a tight budget in the run-up to Christmas.

One of my all-time favourite dishes is egg fried rice. It's simple, delicious and packed with vegetables and protein.

I had previously never made the dish at home because I wasn't keen on cooking rice from scratch but then I had a thought... 'why couldn't I just use microwave rice?' So I did.

Microwave rice takes two minutes to cook in the microwave and, in my opinion, is just as delicious as home-cooked rice and is a lot easier to prepare, especially during a busy week.

Most egg-fried rice dishes contain green onions or peas, however, low on ingredients I decided to simply add egg and a dash of soy sauce for added flavour.

Egg fried rice is open to interpretation so home cooks could easily add extra vegetables and protein such as chicken, beef or pork for added flavour.

How to cook easy egg-fried rice

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• Three eggs
• Half a pack of microwave jasmine rice (cooked)
• One tablespoon of soy sauce
• One tablespoon of cooking oil
• Salt and pepper to season
• Dash of sesame oil (optional)

Method

1. Beat the eggs in a bowl or measuring jug, season them and set them to one side.

2. Heat a wok or frying pan over high heat and add your cooking oil, ensuring you coat the pan.

3. Pour in the eggs and allow them to scramble slightly before adding in your cooked rice.

4. Break down the rice and mix it with the eggs. Add your soy sauce and reduce the heat. For an extra bit of flavour, you can stir in a dash of sesame seed oil.

5. Serve in a bowl either by itself or as a side.

I served my egg fried rice with homemade teriyaki chicken and drizzled some of the sauce over the top.