We love eating out. My latest favourite Chinese joint is Dynasty on S.V. Road, Santacruz. For one, its close to home and secondly, the aroma of soy sauce and schezwan sauce beckons you inside. The only downside is that, on weekends there is a minimum wait time of 45 minutes, and they take reservations only upon arrival.
Its happened on so many Sundays that we end up going to a new place to eat, and on our way back, I say,_ ‘Isse toh achcha hum ghar par hi khaate’ -_Loosely translated, it means, we would have been better off eating at home. Either the food wouldn’t be all that great or the server would have been off-putting. A Chinese meal at made at home is fast, flavourful and filling. How’s that for an alliteration?
A real super-fast menu would start with a Knorr Vegetable Soup modified into a lip-smacking Veg Mein Chow soup-ask me how? Actually I’m all eager to share this idea with you. But more about that in some other post. The salad would be Ginto. Ok, ok, I admit this is Thai and not Chinese. But what the heck-it goes fantastic with the spicy soup. I think I’ll write about this salad and soup together sometime.
Now on with the rice. I’ve seen the kitchens in some of the Chinese restaurants, all in Bombay ofcourse. Havnen’t made the trip to China yet. I have been thinking if I will ever be able to make it, especially after hearing an episode where my vegetarian friend was served a little snake (yeah snake, not snack) all coiled up as a garnish on top of his ‘veg’ rice. I didn’t find that amusing at all.
Getting back to kitchens in Chinese restaurants, their Wok is filled with oil 1/4 th of the way to the top. They quickly dump in the customary green chillies, ginger and garlic, almost deep fry the veggies and add the cooked rice or noodles with the sauces. And all this happens while you were blinking. While I do like the tastes, this kind of cooking, doesn’t do much for my health-conscious soul. If I wanted to eat deep fried food, I’d go for a _samosa _guys, not fried rice.
Anyway, so that’s how I end up making my own version of fried rice that tastes as good if not better and feels good to be eating too.
Feel free to use any vegetables you have on hand. The day I made this, I had some fresh green beans that I had stringed, cut and saved. So green beans fried rice it was. And because I always have onions and frozen peas on hand, it wasn’t a bad idea to add those too.
I prefer putting in a whole lot of vegetables into the rice, so that each spoonful gives me almost as much of vegetables as much as rice. You may cut down on the veggies if they don’t excite you much.
Chinese fried rice
My love-hate relationship with Chinese restaurants & my version of fried rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups rice cooked , separated with a fork ( I used regular kolam-a short grained )
- 1 cup beans generous finely chopped French
- 1/2 cup green peas frozen
- 2 onions medium halved and sliced
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1/2 ginger " piece of fresh
- 3 green chillies - All finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds (This one makes the rice taste extra yum)
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce dark (adjust according to strength of sauce)
- 1 Tablespoon vinegar
- to taste Salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- In a wok, heat the oil. Throw in the sesame seeds first. Once they start turning golden, put in the ginger, garlic, chillies. Saute for 30 seconds, don't let the garlic brown please.
- Now, put the veggies in. Add a pinch of salt. Saute them for 2-3 minutes, until their rawness is gone but crunch is maintained. Mix in the rice, soy sauce, vinegar, spice powder, pepper. Check for salt and adjust.
- You may garnish with freshly chopped coriander if you wish.
- Eat just like that or with a salad.
I posted article today after along long time ! pl mail me ur chennaionline latest article … I am getting in better shape these days 🙂 bye bye
Hi Nandita.That’s a very nice blog you have there.I love fried rice and your pics are gr8t.I feel like ahving one.Keep up the good work.
Hey,its some time i have been reading ur blog. m also a big foodie..and share ur dream of starting my own restaurant some day…ur profile is amazing..please keep in touch…..
Neelu,Good to see you back! Have sent you the column link as yahoo offliner. Am baking some savouries now, will tell you what when I catch you in the eve!Madhuli-Thanks for your kind words of encouragement…hope to see you around…Neo-Thanks! Did you get here from ryze?
hey nandita,I used to love Dynasty too! 😀 your fried rice seems quick to make and all..:)
Wok filled with oil ??? That’s why its called fried rice 🙂 All the indo-chinese restaurants i have been to in the US serve oil dripping fried rice and noodles.yours looks delicious.
This is simple & healthy too… Sure an easy one for a lazy sunday !!
Janaki, Krithika, Jayshree-Glad you liked it!
I agree with the oil-dripping fried rice, though Berco’s in Delhi serves their’s with hardly any. I make mine similar to yours, with lots of green beans, carrots, and some onions, and whatever is at hand. Best thing to do with left-over rice.
And left over vegetables too…