Description
This Street-Style Indo-Chinese Vegetable Fried Rice combines aromatic basmati rice with crunchy mixed vegetables and a blend of flavorful sauces. Perfect for a quick yet satisfying meal, it features the classic tangy, spicy, and savory notes of Indo-Chinese cuisine, making it a popular street food favorite.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Rice
- 2 cups cooked basmati, basmati sella or sano masoori rice (cold and refrigerated)
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 green chilies, slit or finely chopped
- 1/4 cup spring onion whites, chopped
- 1/4 cup carrots, diced or julienned
- 1/4 cup bell peppers (mixed colors), diced or thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup cabbage (optional), shredded
Seasonings & Sauces
- 2 tbsp oil (preferably sesame or any neutral oil)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (low sodium if possible)
- 1 tbsp white vinegar or rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp green chili sauce (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
- Salt to taste (go easy because sauces are salty)
Garnish
- 2 tbsp spring onion greens, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook and Cool Your Rice: Boil water with ½ tsp salt and 1 tbsp oil, then add rice. Cook until 80% done (al-dente). Strain, rinse under cold water, drain well, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before stir-frying.
- Get Your Veggies Ready: Chop all vegetables and aromatics into uniform small pieces or julienne to ensure even cooking. Finely chop garlic, ginger, green onions, and green chilies to release maximum flavor.
- Heat Your Wok: Preheat your wok on high until very hot, then add the oil and swirl around to coat the surface evenly.
- Cook the Flavorful Stuff: Add chopped garlic, ginger, green chilies, and part of the spring onion whites to the hot oil. Stir-fry until fragrant to build a flavor base.
- Add the Veggies: Add carrots first and stir-fry for a minute, then add bell peppers, cabbage (if using), and any other veggies. Cook on high heat for 2-3 minutes while keeping vegetables crunchy.
- Add Flavors: Stir in the soy sauce and allow it to caramelize slightly, followed by white vinegar, green chili sauce, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly for a balanced flavor.
- Add the Rice: Gently fold in the cooled, refrigerated rice to avoid breaking the grains, ensuring every grain is coated with sauce and mixed evenly with the vegetables.
- Finish and Serve: Remove from heat and garnish with chopped spring onion greens. Optionally, squeeze a little lemon juice for added freshness before serving.
Notes
- Use cold, refrigerated rice to prevent the rice from becoming mushy and to get better texture while stir-frying.
- Vegetables should be chopped uniformly and stir-fried on high heat for a crunchy texture.
- Adjust the green chili sauce based on your preferred spice level.
- Go easy on salt since soy sauce and other sauces are already salty.
- For authentic flavor, use sesame oil though neutral oils also work.
- Refrigerating rice for at least 6 hours improves separation of grains and flavor absorption.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1 1/2 cups)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 54 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
