If you ever get tired of authentic Chinese restaurants and miss the desi-style Chinese food, look up for Hakka style Chinese restaurants in your area. Hakka is the Indian Chinese cuisine and its the closest taste to desi-style Chinese food.
This rice is a slightly different from vegetable fried rice in restaurants. It is less oily, has quite a bit of vegetables, and doesn't have the 'crunch' that most fried rices do. I like it this way because it has enough flavor to eat it on its own without any gravy on the side. Also, as is typical with desi-Chinese, the rice used is Basmati.
For 1 cup basmati rice, wash and soak the rice for around 20 minutes. Add to slightly salted boiling water and cook till the rice is almost cooked and ready for 'dam' (steam cook). The best test is to pinch a grain between your fingers: if it splits into two then the rice is not soft enough and needs to be cooked more. The right consistency is when the grain is squashed between your fingers and not broken.
Drain the water out and leave the rice to cool.
While the rice cools, take the same pot in which you boiled the rice, and sweat a couple of chopped garlic cloves in 4 tablespoons of heated Sesame Oil (or any vegetable Oil) till light brown. Add to that 3 tablespoons chopped onions and 3/4 cup of frozen mixed vegetables and cook till vegetables soften up.
(If you don't have frozen mixed vegetables then you'll have to chop up some carrots, boil some peas, and mix it together with sweet corn to make your own mix. You can also add green beans and red/green peppers if you like.)
Prepare 1/3 cup of chicken broth and add 2 tablespoons soy sauce to it. Add this sauce to the vegetables. Add a scrambled egg to the vegetables (optional) and mix well. Now add the rice, mix well and cook with the lid on for 10 minutes on Low heat (this is the 'dam' that we give to rice). Serve hot!
Hey i love this recipe! the addition of corn is interesting and i will definitely try that also.
ReplyDeleteSome variations that i have tried on this recipe are:
- when the rice is boiled (ready for dam) spread them on a newspaper. This helps him stay non soggy and non sticky and they turn out great when u mix them with the vegetable
- u can add the scrambled eggs right after the garlic also and add a pinch of food color along for more drama. We ofcouse eat with your eyes more than our mouth:)
-If someone wants to add chicken to this i have tried this and it works great:
cut two boneless chicken breasts in small pieces. Add one heaped table spooon cornflour, one tea spoon salt, one scrambled egg, one table spoon soya sauce, one tea spoon vineger and a sprinkle of pepper to this. Mix well and let it stay for 15-20 mins. Now fry these chicken pieces separately in oil on medium heat. Set them aside. Add these to the vegetables and mix well right before u add the rice :)
Best of luck Zee with your website!
-Tamania
Thanks for your comment Tamania and even more for your contribution. I just remembered how I wouldn't stop eating your Chinese rice when I was at your place! I'll definitely try your variation!
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