Vegetable Fried-Rice

Indulge in this one pot meal dish and take your tastebuds on an interesting ride...!!!

This hearty and wholesome one pot meal dish is loaded with garden fresh veggies, vinegar, dark soy sauce and assorted spices. Flavored with the aroma of cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf, this is an extremely delicious recipe for rice lovers and a simple satisfying meal for a lunch, dinner or any kind of occasion!

Vegetable fried rice is a Chinese dish of cooked rice, mixed with vegetables, sauces and spices that has been stir fried in a frying pan. It's one of the most popular Chinese dishes, consumed mainly in Asia and Middle East regions. It's often served as a complete dish or can also be enjoyed with fresh yogurt, salad or your favorite curry!!

Fried rice are mostly prepared with the leftover rice but can also be prepared with the freshly cooked rice. It's a complete dish on it's own and is just like what you get at your favorite Chinese restaurant. I love eating vegetable fried rice. It's absolutely one of my favorite things to eat. It's easy to prepare and a great recipe to use up the leftovers!!

It's a simple delicious meal made from white rice. I have worked with aged good quality basmati rice. You can use any type of white rice in the dish. I have used freshly cooked rice but it's advisable to use the leftover rice because there is more moisture in the freshly cooked rice whereas the leftover rice are little more dried and are easy to work with.

It's versatile meal. I always try to make it differently, depending on what is available at my home. You can add your favorite veggies and your favorite stir-fry sauces. Spices like cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf can be avoided. You can make it according to your taste and requirements.

Hope you give it a try and love it as much I do!!

VEGETABLE FRIED RICE

Cooking time of Basmati Rice - 
Soaking time : 30 minutes               
Boiling time : 10-12 minutes
Resting time : 30 minutes

Preparation time : 15 minutes
Cooking time : 20 minutes
Serves : 4 people
Author :


INGREDIENTS
200 grams or 2 cups Basmati Rice
4 cups - water
1 tablespoon - salt
2 tablespoon - oil
1/2 teaspoon - crushed cumin seeds (jeera)
1 - green cardamom (choti elaichi)
1- bay leaf (tez patte)
3-4 cloves (lavang)
1/2 inch - cinnamon (dalchini)
1/2 teaspoon - crushed cumin seeds
1 inch long - ginger, grated
5-6 - garlic cloves, chopped
1 - onion, chopped
1/2 cup - beans, chopped
1 - carrot, chopped
1- potato, chopped
3/4 cup - cauliflower, chopped
1/2 cup - green peas
2 - green chillis, chopped
1/2 teaspoon - red chili powder
1/4 teaspoon - garam masala
1/2 teaspoon of salt or as per taste
4-5 cashews, chopped (optional)
5-6 raisins (optional)
1 tablespoon - soy sauce
1 tablespoon - vinegar
chopped coriander leaves


METHOD
1. Rinse the basmati rice with cold water and soak it for about 30 minutes.

2. Next, cover a saucepan with a lid to bring 4 cups of water to boil. Add 2 cups of basmati rice, followed by 1 tablespoon of salt and loosely cover the pan. Reduce the heat and cook the rice for about 10-12 minutes. Don't overcook it. Stir it once and turn off the flame. Let the rice sit for about 5-7 minutes. Drain the rice using a colander or a strainer let it cool for sometime.

3. Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a pan and add crushed cumin seeds, cardamom, bay leaf, cloves and cinnamon. Wait till they crackle. Then add grated ginger, chopped garlic and a chopped onion. Sauté it on a lower flame till it turns golden brown.

4. Add peas and the other chopped veggies (beans, carrot, potato, cauliflower) in the frying pan and stir it for 2-3 minutes on a high flame. Mix it well.

5. Cover the lid and let the mixture cook for 7-8 minutes on a lower medium flame. Stir it occasionally. The vegetables should be tender yet still have a crunch

6. Next, add chopped green chillis followed by the spices - red chili powder, garam masala and salt and stir it well.

7. Then, sprinkle some cashews and raisins in the mixture. Stir it gently on a low flame.

8. Next, add the cooked rice in the pan, toss it with vegetables and continue to mix together for 3-4 minutes on a medium flame. Make sure to check nothing is sticking to the bottom.

9. Pour in some soy sauce and vinegar and toss to combine. Turn off the flame and remove it.

10. Now, transfer the vegetable fried rice to a serving bowl and garnish it with fresh coriander leaves.

11. Serve them as a complete dish or enjoy it with fresh yogurt, salad or your favorite curry!!


NOTES
1. Soak basmati rice or any type of white rice for 30-40 minutes.

2. I have used freshly cooked rice but it's advisable to use the leftover rice because there is more moisture in the freshly cooked rice whereas the leftover rice are little more dried and are easy to work with.

3. Do not overcook the rice.

4. This recipe works best with aged good quality basmati rice.

5. You can add your favorite veggies and your favorite stir-fry sauces.

6. Spices like cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf can be avoided. You can make it according to your taste and requirements.