Schezwan Egg Fried Rice recipe#Egg fried rice recipe#Fried rice recipe

Fried rice is the simplest Chinese rice dish which can be prepared very easily at home.It's not a huge thing like making Biriyani..Its very simple and can be prepare at any time for a surprise guest if you have Basmati rice,few spices and eggs in your kitchen.
Ingredients needed for Fried rice

1.Basmati rice - 2 cups
2.Water - 4.5 cups
3.Salt- to taste
4.Aromatic spices
    Cardamom - 2
    Cloves  5-7
    Cinnamon - 2 sticks
    Bay leaves - 2
    Pepper Corns -  10
     Star Anise - 1
   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 garnish and flavor(purely optional)
9.Eggs- 4

Method

1.Soak the required  rice for 30 minutes.
2.Wash and clean the rice and keep it in vessel with holes for draining 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 pulav.

                                                                           Cooked Rice

8.Vegetables needed
   Carrot- 1 big
   Beans - 12
   Green Peas - 3/4 cup(frozen or freshly boiled)
   Cabbage - 1/2 cup(optional)
   Green Onions(Scallions) - a few,cut into small pieces.
    Red or any coloured Pepper - 1 

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
 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..

                                                       Cooked Vegetables

9.Scrambled eggs
     There is no need of description for this method.Prepare scrambled egg using 3-4 eggs and mix it along with rice.Add 1/2 tsp pepper powder and 1/2 tsp salt while scrambling.

                                                              Scrambled Egg
10.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  and 2-3 Tb sp Schezwan hot sauce to the 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.
• You can simply avoid this Schezwan sauce for a plain egg fried rice.

• Add all cooked vegetables with little more soya sauce  and the remaining rice and fry it for 3-5 minutes.
• Remove from flame and garnish with cilantro(coriander) and mint(puthina)(optional)(Indian style)
• Serve with hot chilli sauce(Chinese)
• Serve warm with Tomato onion Raita and any pickle of your choice.(Indian style)

This time i made this fried rice for my husband's office Diwali party.

Cheers,
Have a beautiful year end...
Advance Happy New year foodie buddies

Riya
Kottayam Kitchen