Veg Fried Rice

Fried rice is more healthy since its loaded with lots of vegetables and less sauces. This fried rice is easy to make if you have leftover rice handy. It is best to use a day old rice, as they are drier because stored in refrigerator and rice grains will stay separated after tossing them with veggies.  Fried rice is cooked on a high flame, and the trick is to cut the vegetables small, so that they do not remain raw inside.

A very mild rice variety to treat our family and friends. Kids would surely love to enjoy this dish with Manchurian.This dish is actually a lot simpler than most of us perceive it to be.

INGREDIENTS 

To cook rice:

1 cup long grained rice or basmati rice
5 cups water
½ tsp salt
2 drops of sesame oil/regular oil

¼ cup finely chopped spring onion whites/scallions

¼ cup finely chopped carrots
¼ cup finely chopped french beans
¼ cup finely chopped cabbage
¼ cup finely chopped mushrooms
¼ cup finely chopped capsicum
¼ cup finely chopped cauliflower
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1 tbsp finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped celery, skip if you do not have
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp regular vinegar
½ tsp black pepper powder
1 star anise
2.5 tbsp sesame oil or any other oil
salt as required

METHOD:

To cook the rice:

1. Rinse rice very well, drain and keep aside.
2. In a pot, take 5 cups of water with salt and 2 drops of oil. Bring to a gentle boil .
3. Add the rice to the hot water.
4. On a medium flame cook the rice without the lid.
5. When the rice becomes 80% cooked, remove the pot from fire and drain the rice.
6. Cover the rice and keep aside till the rice cools completely.

To prepare the fried rice:

1. Chop the veggies finely and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan in high flame.
3. Add the star anise and fry till the oil becomes fragrant.
4. Add the garlic and saute for some seconds.
5. Add ginger and add the spring onions whites/scallions and saute for about 1 minutes.
6. Add all the finely chopped beans first as it takes time to cook. Cook it for 1 minute.
7. Then add chopped cauliflower and cabbage. Cook it for 1 minute.
8. Do not lower the flame. Add rest chopped veggies.
9. Stir fry the veggies on a high flame.
10. If you cannot handle stir frying on a high flame, then stir fry on a medium flame.
11. Toss continuously and stir while frying so that the veggies are uniformly cooked and do not get burnt.
12. Stir fry till they are just cooked and their crunchiness and crispiness should be retained.
13. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, salt and pepper.
14. Stir quickly and add the rice. Stir fry for a few minutes till the sauce has coated the fried rice well.

Serve the veg fried rice hot plain or with an indo chinese vegetable gravy.