Vegetable Fried Rice

A flavorful, delicious, colorful indo-chinese recipe loaded with lots of veggies and mildly spiced with sauces is definitely a treat to vegetarians. This recipe is a quick and easy to prepare dish perfect for dinner and lunch boxes.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup basmati rice 
• 5 cups water
• 1/4th cup of finely chopped carrots, beans, frozen peas, capsicum, spring onions and onions
• 2 to 3 green chillies, finely chopped
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 inch ginger, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp of white pepper powder (black pepper is also fine)
• 2 to 3 tbsp soya sauce
• 1 tsp vinegar
• Salt to taste
• 2 to 3 tbsp oil

METHOD:

1. In a pot boil 5 cups of water with a tsp of salt and oil each.
2. Add washed and drained rice into hot water and cook on a medium to low flame without the lid.
3. When the rice becomes 90% cooked or al dente, switch off the flame and drain the rice.
4. Rinse the rice in cold water to stop further cooking and rice sticking to each other. Keep aside and let rice cool completely.
5. Meanwhile cook the finely chopped carrots and beans in hot water for about 5 minutes. Drain water and keep aside.
6. Heat a tbsp of oil in a wok, add finely chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies and saute.
7. Add finely chopped onions. Saute until transparent.
8. Add finely chopped capsicum and saute for a minute on high flame then add other veggies(carrots,beans,frozen peas). Let the veggies be crunchy. Do not overcook.
9. Add the soya sauce, vinegar, pepper powder and salt. Stir fry for few minutes until the sauce is coated to the veggies.  
10. Add cooked rice immediately and stir fry for a minute or two on a high flame. Add finely chopped spring onions and stir well. Switch off the flame.
11. Serve it hot with tomato ketchup or any indo-chinese starters such as Baby corn manchurian or Gobi manchurian.