Who doesn't want an easy Basmati fried rice recipe that goes with almost anything? This is Indo-Chinese fried rice that uses basmati rice like any Indian fried recipe and has few Chinese touches in the form of soy sauce and sweet and sour background flavors.
Tips
Rice:
You may use any good quality rice variety like brown rice, sticky rice, or long-grain rice to make veg fried rice just make sure it is cold and undercooked.
Rice cooked one day earlier works better because they are harder than fresh rice and therefore less fragile to breaking while mixing. And you can fry the outside while the inner core is still cold.
Veggie options:
You may add corns, cashew, green pea, French beans along with other veggies that you like in fried rice.
Oil:
The most recommended oil for Chinese cooking is sesame oil. You may use olive or any neutral oil. Drizzling just 1-2 teaspoon oil over rice in the last help keeps the Indo-Chinese fried rice grains separated.
Pan
Rice are best cooked in wide and large vessel. Use and wide bottomed pan or a wok. If doubling this recipe, work in two batches to avoid over-mixing of rice.
High Heat
As the name suggests you need to fry rice. Basmati rice are always kept for "dum" or steaming after boiling, we are replacing Dum with frying. You don't want that uncooked rice flavor right? So be a little generous with oil and cook on high heat to give that distinct flavor and taste of veg fried rice.
Seasonings:
In all Indo Chinese recipes, Chinese salt (sodium glutamate or Ajinomoto) is added as a taste enhancer. I always avoid it for health hazards attached to it. I substitute it with chicken or vegetable bullion or cube or base that is MSG-free.
How to make it?
Soak rice for 20 minutes at least or follow instructions on the pack. Some variety of basmati like Sella require 90 minutes of soaking.
- Boil water in a large pot. Also, add salt and a few drops of lemon juice. (Water should have soupy salt level, lemon is added to bring out the bright white color of rice.)
- When water begins to boils add soaked rice and cook for 7-10 minutes or as per instructions on the rice pack. (We want 1Kani or 80% cooked rice.)
- Strain rice in a colander and set aside. Let it cool completely. (Or keep in the fridge if time allows as cold rice works best.)
- Meanwhile, cut the veggies and set aside.
Seasoning for Indian Veg Fried Rice
- In a large and wide pot, heat oil and add garlic, chicken cube/bullion/ base, chopped chilies, and pepper. Stir and cook for few seconds.
- Now, mix in veggies, soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar. Cook for 1 minute on medium heat with constant stirring.
- Add rice and green onions.
- Cook on high heat for 2 minutes. In between mix the rice after every few seconds with big strokes to turn rice up and down. Aim for 8-10 strokes as over-mixing can break the rice. When rice and veggies are thoroughly mixed.
- Reduce heat to medium and cover the pot. Cook for another 4-5 minutes until thoroughly heated then serve.
Thinking what to serve with fried rice? Check these!
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Basmati Fried Rice
Ingredients
To Boil Rice
- 2 cup (500 gm) Basmati or long grain rice, , soaked for 20 minutes or as per instructions on the packet.
- Salt, as needed to boil rice
- Few drops of lemon juice
Seasoning
- 3 tablespoon oil, , preferably sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped or paste
- 1 chicken cube/bullion
- 1-2 tablespoon green chilles, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup carrot, finely chopped or match stick
- 1 cup cabbage, finely chopped
- ½ cup capsicum, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup green onion, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Wash and soak rice in water for 20 minutes.
- Fill a half of a large pot with water and add salt as required.(The water should have soupy salt level.) Also add a few drop of lemon juice.
- Bring water to boil then add soaked rice and cook for 7-10 minutes (or as per instructions on packet) until rice is 80% cooked. Strain rice in a colander, let it cool completely. (Cold rice are best for stir fry.)
- In same pot, heat oil and add garlic, chicken cube, pepper, and green chillies.
- Fry for a few seconds. Then add chopped carrots, cabbage, capsicum, soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. Mix well and fry for 1 minute.
- Add the rice and green onions. Fry on high heat for about 2 minutes. Stir rice every few seconds with big strokes and mix carefully by turning the rice up and down with a spatula. (Aim for 8-10 strokes.)
- Now reduce heat to medium. Cover pot tightly and cook for 4-5 minutes until rice are thoroughly heated then serve.
Hamza says
Hello aunty,
This is Hamza from Germany 🙂
I just tried your veg fried recipe and it was really nice!
Keep posting such recipes for beginners 🙂
And also, could you please make one pot recipes too, so as a student it’s easier for me to make dishes
Thank you!!
Mariam Sodawater says
Hi Hamza, it is great to see a student in a foreign country trying my recipes. I try to keep also my recipes one-pot and simple as I also hate doing too many dishes. You can try my bhuna keema, and handi recipes which are one pot and easy too. Good Luck!