Vegetable fried rice

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Vegetable fried rice - Cooked rice tossed with sauces, spices and sauteed vegetables. This not so spicy indo Chinese recipe is a hit with all the kids(sometimes adults too) and makes an excellent lunch box item. All you need is some vegetables and cooked rice(left over rice works very well). Serve  it with simple  tomato sauce or with an exotic veg manchurian gravy. Veggies can be substituted for paneer, mushroom for vegetarian options or with chicken and egg for non-vegetarian of options.


Ingredients:

Rice - Basmati rice or jeeraga samba rice works well. Jasmine rice can also be used. Any left over cooked rice can also be used.

Vegetables -  White Onion, spring onion, cabbage, carrot, french beans, green capsicum are used.

Spices - Ginger, garlic, pepper, green chilli are used.

Salts - Fine pink salt, ajinomotto(optional) is used.

Souring agents - Apple cider vinegar is used.

Sweeteners - Brown sugar is used(optional). White sugar can also be used.

Sauces - Store bought dark soy sauce and green chilli sauce is used. I'm using Sil's green chilli sauce and harima dark soy sauce.

Oils and fats - Sesame oil is used. Any neutrally flavoured oil can be used

Method:

1. Soak and cook the rice till 3/4th done. Allow to cool down.

2. Saute onion, white portion of spring onion, spices, sugar in sesame oil.

3. Saute veggies in high flame till soft but crunchy.

4. Mix cooked rice, salt, sauces, vinegar.

5. Toss evenly.

Accompaniments:

Any Manchurian (dry or gravy) is an excellent combination. Chinese style stir - fried veggies can also be served along with tomato ketchup. I served it with cabbage manchurian(dry).

Substitutions:

  • Regular onions can be used instead of white ones
  • Black pepper can be substituted for white pepper.
  • Home made green chilli sauce can be substituted for store bought.
  • Celery leaves and parsley can be used for garnish.
  • Lemon juice or white vinegar can be substituted for apple cider vinegar.
  • Use coloured capsicums instead of green one.

Variations:

Millet veg fried rice:

Use samai or little millet, kuthiraivaali or barnyard millet, varagu or kodo millet instead of rice. 

Veg fried brown rice:

Use brown rice instead of white rice.

Substitutions:

Lemon juice can be substituted for soy sauce and vinegar. Use 1 tsp of filtered lemon juice, but have this as a second option as authentic recipe uses only vinegar.

Storage:

Store it for a night and reheat and consume the very next day.

Pre-preparation:

Soak 1.25 cups of basmati rice in 2.5 cups of water. Add a tsp of oil and pressure cook for 1or 2 whistles. Cool the rice and separate  the grains with a fork. If using left over rice from the fridge, bring the rice to the room temperature.

Equipment's used: Frying pan, pressure cooker.

Recipe:


Mix veg fried rice

Total Time Taken : 30 minutes

No. of servings - 4

1 cup = 200ml

Ingredients with measurements:

Basmati rice - 1.25 cups

Water - 2.5 cups

Salt - to taste

Sugar - 1/2 tsp(optional)

Ajinomotto - a pinch(optional)

Sesame oil - 1/8th cup

Regular onion - 1 big

Spring onions - 2 bulbs + the leaf part

Ginger - 1/2"

Garlic - 3 or 4 cloves

Green chillies - 3

Cabbage - 1 cup(grated)

Carrots - 1 big or 2(small)

Beans - 5

Capsicum - 1(small) or 1/2 big

Soya sauce - 1tsp

Green chilli sauce - 1tsp

Apple cider vinegar - 1tsp

Pepper powder - 1tsp

Garnish:

Spring onion greens







Directions with pics:

1. Chop the vegetables and spices.

2. Heat oil in a pan, add sugar. when it melts, add chopped onions, chopped spring onion bulbs, ginger, garlic, chillies. Saute till onions become transparent.

3.Add veggies and salt. Saute till they are soft yet crunchy.



4. Add the sauces and vinegar.

5. Add cooked rice and toss well.


6. Garnish with spring onion greens.



Notes:

  • Cook rice till 3/4th only. Opt for open pot cooking instead of pressure cooking the rice.
  • The rice can also be cooked in an electric rice cooker for this recipe.
  • The vegetables needs to be cooked in a high flame to retain their crunchiness.
  • Green chilli sauce can be avoided.
  • If you are allergic to soy sauce, avoid it and proceed with the directions. Most of the hotel's do not make use of soy sauce for making fried rice.

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