If you are a Chinese food lover then there is no way you can look away from this Indo-Chinese main course! Yup, we are talking about the plate of faithful veg fried rice which never fails to bring a smile to our face. As a kid, we remember when steamed rice always got so boring that we ended up begging our mother to make the fried rice with chili chicken!
Sunday when we all gathered for lunch together, the fragrance of the Indo-Chinese meal with a desi hint always ended up being some memorable moment down the lane of nostalgia. So, let's keep the tradition alive as we learn to make the veg fried rice at home.
Learn more about veg fried rice
The thought of fried rice is bringing water to our mouths undeniably, but we all need to hold on while we unravel the secrets of making the best Chinese fried rice at home. The combination of salty with umami essence and soy sauce seasons the rice so well accompanied by the presence of veggies that you can hardly stop yourself from reaching out for the bowl when dinner is served.
Chinese meals are always something we all love in the house and when it comes to Indo-Chinese fried rice, we all simply go gaga! Use a skillet to make the fried rice as this gives a smokey essence to your dish. Mushrooms with sesame oil often turn out to be the highlights among the rest of the ingredients! Ajinomoto is optional and can be added only if you prefer to. If you want the rice to remain white then you should not add soy sauce to it!
How to make veg fried rice
What preparations are to be taken for veg fried rice
This is a veg fried rice recipe that you are about to make so you definitely need veggies in it! So start with chopping the veggies pal! We found this to be a wonderful way to convince the kids to consume veggies! So whenever we make this one, it is always loaded with all kinds.
In the meantime, you can boil the rice and keep it away to dry up a bit. Otherwise, the fried rice can turn out soggy and wet! Before you steam the rice, soak it in water for thirty minutes, this will certainly hasten up the entire process! For fried rice, we generally use basmati rice, you can opt for anything that you prefer. For example, some like to use Jasmine rice too!
Hence the choice of grain absolutely depends on what you prefer although try and opt for something fine and thin! The rice is often boiled in water which contains a pinch of oil and salt! The presence of salt makes your rice turn out really white and stark once it is steamed. Don't cook your rice for too long, because once again you will be tossing it with the veggies! Overcooked rice can destroy your entire effort and time.
You can place the cooked rice in a colander, drain the water, and then leave it in the refrigerator for thirty minutes before you cook. While the texture of the rice is being set, we focus on the veggies now! The common ones include white spring onions or scallions, beans, carrots, capsicum, bell pepper, etc. Celery and cabbage can be included too if you wish to give a Chinese essence to the dish.
Easy Veg Fried Rice - Perfect for Busy Weeknights
Now heat some oil in a skillet and stir-fry the veggies one by one! Do not pour all of them into the pan together since spring onions can get burnt if cooked longer while the carrots will remain undercooked if you don't stir and fry them well. You can begin with a star anise dropped into the oil to release the gorgeous fragrance. Next goes in the finely chopped ginger, and garlic. As they turn brown, the smokey essence is gradually released.
Once the veggies are done, you can season them with sauces like soy sauce! One teaspoon is enough since you don't want the rice to go completely black. You can avoid this one if you like. A little hint of black pepper should be drizzled from the top. Pour in the rice and give it a good stir so that the veggies, sauces, and fried rice mix well with each other. Some vinegar can be poured in and again the rice is stirred. Topped with freshly chopped spring onions, your hearty and healthy bowl of yummy veg fried rice is ready.
That is how easy it is to make fried rice! Why always have some boring steamed rice when you can make it healthier and tastier this way? Serve with chili chicken or Manchurian and dig in!