I have confessed my love for Indo-Chinese cuisine on this blog, a greater number of times than I remember. Our most favorite things to order when we dine out include many items from the Indo-Chinese cuisine. Veg Fried Rice also happens to be one of the most popular street foods/fast foods in India. Many a times, I replicate the same meal at my kitchen and here is one such recipe. The humble Veg Fried Rice. Rice stir fried along with vegetables and other condiments. This is the simplest of the Indo-Chinese dish that can be prepared with ease at home.
Key Ingredients
Basmati Rice is one of the main ingredients for making veg fried rice and any variant of fragrant rice works well. I have used Basmati Rice but short grain rice like Jeeraga Samba (Indian) also works. Mixed Vegetables like finely chopped Carrots, French Beans, Cabbage, Mushrooms, Broccoli can be used. I don’t like cluttering the rice with many vegetables, so I always add a combination of 2-3 veggies at the maximum and remember, less is more in this case. Black Pepper Powder is the only spice powder used in this recipe and that is also optional if you prefer a subtle fried rice. Condiments like Soy Sauce, Apple Cider Vinegar, Sugar and Salt are used to flavor the rice. Spring Onions are a must to garnish the rice and in the odd circumstances, cilantro can also be used. For complete list of ingredients and exact measurements, do check the recipe below.
Tips & Important Notes for Making Veg Fried Rice
Vegetable Fried Rice is a simple recipe that is beginner-friendly. Follow the below tips and notes to make it easily at home.Rice should be pre-cooked and cooled down completely. In fact, it is better to use old cooked rice. If you have any left-over rice, stored in fridge especially it works out wonderfully well for making restaurant style veg fried rice at home. If you are using fresh cooked rice, make sure it is at room temperature.I use my pressure cooker to cook basmati rice and here is what I follow – soak the rice for 15-20 mins, drain off the water and then pressure cook for 2 whistles on medium flame. The water to rice ratio is important to take note of. We don’t want the rice to be semi-cooked but at the same time be soft and plump yet remain separate grains. I use 1 ½ to 1 ¾ cups of water for a cup of rice. Also, never cook the rice directly in the cooker, always use a vessel to be placed inside the cooker. As soon as the pressure releases, remove the rice from the vessel onto a large plate for cooling down.Using a wok that is light weight but can also withstand high heat yields the best fried rice or noodles. Non-stick pans can not be used in high heat, so it is worth investing in a light weight iron wok. Vegetables and sauces should be either cooked in medium or high flame for shorter duration of time for the smoky effect.
Substitutions & Variations
There are many variations to this simple fried rice. Add a couple of scrambled eggs to the fried rice to turn it into Egg Fried Rice. The eggs can be either directly scrambled in the pan after the vegetables are cooked or scrambled separately, before adding to the fried rice. Add scrambled eggs or boiled chicken for a non-veg version of this fried rice. Apart from the cooked basmati rice, any other grains or millets can also be used to replace the rice. Although the taste and texture are not the same, it is a good variation.
Serving Suggestions
Veg Fried Rice is best served hot with the side of any Indo-Chinese starters or side dishes like Baby Corn Manchurian, Egg Manchurian, Dragon Vegetable and so on. Although the fried rice tastes good on cooling down, it tastes the best when served piping hot. It can be stored in fridge for upto a day and reheated before serving again.
Similar Recipes
Veg Fried Rice Recipe with Step by Step Pictures
First let the cooked rice (with salt added for the rice) cool down completely, spread it on a large plate. In a wok, heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Add 6-8 finely chopped garlic cloves – fry for 10-15 secs. Add 1 small onion finely chopped along with 2 tablespoon each of finely chopped carrots and French beans. Stir fry on medium flame for 4-5 mins. Add salt required to cook the vegetables. Add ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, ¼ teaspoon apple cider vinegar along with ½ teaspoon sugar. Stir fry for another 3-4 mins. At this stage, if using eggs, push the veggies to the side and heat 1 teaspoon of oil. Add eggs and let them slightly cook before scrambling them. Cook for 1-2 mins, without overcooking veggies or scrambled eggs. Add 3 cups of cooked rice and set the flame on low. Stir-fry gently until the rice is mixed well with the veggie mixture. Set the flame on medium, garnish with 2-3 tablespoon finely chopped spring onions/cilantro, stir-fry for a couple of minutes and remove from heat. Serve hot immediately with a side of any starter/appetizer or other Indo-Chinese side dishes.
Recipe Notes
As it is hard to find short grain Chinese rice in the market here, I have used Basmati rice. Replace it with rice of your choice.Pepper Powder is optional – however gives the rice a little spiciness. I used black pepper powder but white pepper powder can also be used.Apple Cider Vinegar is optional, but adding a little enhances the taste.Soy Sauce contains salt, so be cautious while adding salt to the vegetables.The rice has to be cooked and cooled down completely. It has to be fluffy and non-sticky for best results. I added salt while cooking the rice and salted only the vegetables while stir-frying.Eggs or boiled meat can be added to this veg version.I have skipped MSG/Ajinomoto which is the taste enhancer for making this fried rice healthier. Can be added if needed.
I would be delighted to know if you have tried this recipe, don’t forget to share your feedback and comments below. If you have any questions, you can e-mail me! I am also available on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter 🙂
