This recipe turns a humble bowl of rice into a lip-smackingly tasty meal. It feels like an indulgence, but the dish is actually good for you.

The bowl is brimming with colorful spring vegetables — asparagus, peas and carrots — that are stir-fried with green onions, ginger, garlic and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. The aroma gets your mouth watering the second those flavors hit the skillet. Then you add the rice and continue to cook until it is all warmed through.

This recipe calls for brown rice because it is the most accessible whole-grain variety, but black or red rice would also be delicious and make for an intriguing twist. Whatever type you choose, it is critical to start with cooked rice that has been well chilled, otherwise it can become gummy when stir-fried. Once the rice in the pan is hot, you stir in savory soy sauce, fragrant sesame oil and sesame seeds, then serve it heaped in bowls, each crowned with a just-fried egg.

This is all done with a minimal amount of oil, so the dish is flavorful without being greasy. Once you try it, I’ll bet that the next time you cook a batch of rice, you will purposely make extra to ensure you can make this bowl again — and soon.

Ellie Krieger is a freelance writer.