Indo Chinese Veg Fried Rice with crunchy nuts and raisins

Simple Indo Chinese Veg Fried Rice

Almost every cook or food lovers who like to make different dishes tries different Biriyani or fried rice varieties.Since we malayalis believe or consider biriyani or fired rice as a delicious food for all celebrations and spend time for learning this authentic spicy item for home made preparation.So explaining the preparation method of rice,is not so important.But i'm explaining each step one by one for beginners.

Usually we use long aromatic Basmati Rice for preparing Fried rice or biriyani. Try to buy long grains with some aroma since lots of brands in Basmati rice are available in market.In the rice packet itself, you can see a note for preparation of rice.Since all rice varieties have different cooking time and we should follow that for proper cooking of the rice...So in my rice packets they have written for 1 cup of rice you should add 1 1/2(1.5) cups of water.So if you are using for example, 2 cups of rice you need to add 3 cups of water.

Ingredients needed for Fried rice

1.Basmati rice - 3 cups
2.Water - 4.5 cups
3.Salt- to taste
4.Aromatic spice list
    Cardamom - 2
    Cloves  5-7
    Cinnamon - 2 sticks
    Bay leaves - 2
    Pepper Corns -  10

   Note: If you want more aroma,you can increase spices quantity
5. Ghee/Oil - 1 Tb sp
6.Con.Lemon juice - 1-2 Tsp
7.Soya sauce - 1-2 Tb sp
8.Cilantro and Mint - cut into small pieces for decoration and flavor
9.Cashews and Raisins - 1/4 cup

Preparation method of Fried Rice

1.Soak the required  rice for 30 minutes.
2.Wash and clean the rice and keep it in vessel with holes for removing extra water.

3.Keep a large heavy bottom pan in flame with reduced flame.Add  2-3 Tb sps of Ghee when the pan becomes hot.First,add all the spices in the ingredient list to the pan.Then add rice to the spices and saute it well.By this time the rice becomes crispy and get a glazing look.Remember don't burn the rice with high flame.Always use low flame while sauting. After 2-3 minutes add the measured quantity of water to the rice.Add salt to taste and cover it for cooking.

4.If you are not familiar or a beginner don't try to attempt the 3rd step.You won't success..

5    :-)IT happens for me even..That"s my mother's method.But don't worry we have another easy way of cooking.

6.Take a large heavy bottom pan and keep it in a medium flame.Add the required quantity of water with all spices in the list.If you crush the spices slightly it gives more taste and aroma to the rice.
7.Add 1 Tb sp of oil,1-2 ts sp of Con lemon juice(Squeeze half lemon) and the most important thing SALT -( to taste) to the water.

Note:

• Taste some water and if its salty,the salt level of rice will be ok. Remember don't add too much salt.
• Oil and lime juice helps  to avoid the thickening of  rice.
• Don't cook the rice over time,it will turn into pongal.

7.So when the water starts boiling,add the cleaned rice and cover it for cooking.When the lid starts dancing with bubbles stop the flame and allow the rice to cook.Within 10 minutes rice will be ready.

Note:If the rice cooks correctly,rice grains should look like a boat shape or as a curve.That is the correct consistency for Basmati rice for making fried rice,biriyani or pulave.

                                                                           Cooked Rice

8.Vegetables needed
   Carrot- 1 big
   Beans - 12
   Green Peas - 3/4 cup
   Cabbage - 1/2 cup(optional)
   Green Onions(Scallions) - a few,cut into small pieces.

      
                   For fried rice we should cut all vegetables in length wise for a good look.Try to cut as thin long pieces.Unfortunately,I don't have Green onions.

Clean and cut the vegetables length wise and cook it with little water in another pan.
Add scallions at the end,since it don't need much time to cook.Or else you can use scallions as fresh.


9.Final Step

• Take a large heavy bottom pan and keep it in medium flame.Add  1-2 Tb sp of Ghee or butter.If you are health conscious,you can avoid  this ghee or butter.It only gives extra taste.

•  Add 1-2 Tb sps of Soya souce to the hot pan.Add half portion of the cooked rice and fry it along with soya sauce by sauting. REMEMBER don't saute too much,it could break the rice.

• Add all cooked vegetables with little more soya sauce  and the remaining rice and fry it for 3-5 minutes.

• Fry Cashews and raisins in ghee and add as decoration and more crunchy look.
• Remove from flame and decorate with cilantro(coriander) and mint(puthina)

     Serve warm with Tomato onion Raita and any pickle of your choice.
If you want egg fried rice,you can simply add 3 scrambled eggs to the fried rice mixture.



Happy Cooking 

Kottayam KItchen

:-)