When you love Chinese fried rice and wish to have it always when you go to a restaurant it comes loaded with grease and high sodium. The term fried rice sends shivers to me when I imagine how oily it must be.
With very little oil and a good stir fry this dish can be prepared with ease at home and will taste much better than the restaurant ones or the take aways.

Making Chinese vegetable fried rice at home is a great way to enjoy a classic dish that's both flavorful and adaptable to your taste. This simple recipe lets you create a less greasy, lower sodium version than what you might find in restaurants, using fresh or leftover rice and a variety of vegetables. Here’s how you can make it:

That is the reason I never order this dish among so many others , rather prefer to learn and cook the same dish at home making it a non greasy and reduced salt one. Generally Chinese fried rice works best with day old rice or left over rice as the grains are firm and not mushy. Here I have used freshly cooked rice as it was totally un planned.

This is also a great dish which can be made at a moments notice, exactly what happened when my daughter wishes to have a different kind of lunch  in  her words and a non South Indian one, I looked no further.

A quick glance at the vegetables  in stock and the other ingredients , I knew this was a cinch. Thank Goodness for the weekends ! Am always prepared and armed well with enough groceries to meet any strange request. Two days wear me out but  I am  pleased as I cook at my pace and can think creatively.

I wonder why this awesome dish never comes to my mind while fixing the morning school dabba considering the ease and the quick stir fry involved.  As the week rolls by a variety of rice dishes would have been prepared and sometimes without inspiration too as the hours are so horribly busy and I end up a harassed cook lacking any innovation. Coming to the recipe which is pretty simple  but   the taste it gives is simply awesomeness.

Ingredients:

2 cups Basmati rice or any long grain
1 cup mixed vegetables of your choice like carrots, red, yellow bell peppers, green peas, fresh or frozen kernels of corn, French beans . I used red and yellow bell peppers, fresh corn kernels, spring onions, French beans
1 tbsp spring onions finely diced
1/2 tbsp minced garlic or more if you prefer. At home garlic is used to a minimum and barely a hint.
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp chilli sauce or more if you prefer a spicier one.
2 small green chillis chopped fine
1 tbsp soy sauce or more to give a stronger colour but we prefer the rice to remain little white and dont really care for the soy taste.
2 tbsp sesame oil or olive oil.
1 tsp white pepper powder,
2 tbsp greens of Spring onions.
Salt to taste.

Method

• Cook the Basmati rice with 2 1/2 cups of water and add a tsp of oil too before pressure cooking.

• After one whistle , take it off and keep the rice cool by fluffing it out with a fork.

• Chop all vegetables uniformly like long strips. I used red and yellow bell peppers and cut them into strips.I also used fresh corn kernels,French beans,Spring onions.

• Take a large wok which works best for a good stir fry. Heat the wok well , and add some oil and start by seasoning with chopped green chillies, minced garlic. Stir fry the spring onions.

• Add the bell peppers and stir briskly on a high flame as we want the vegetables to cook lightly and retain the crunch.

• Add the pre cooked corn kernels and remaining vegetables.

• Add the cold fluffed out Basmati rice and mix well with the vegetables, keep stirring and add the soy sauce, green chilli sauce, red pepper flakes, white pepper,salt and add little sesame oil .

• When the fried rice is still hot lastly add the greens of the spring onions as it will retain the nice crunch and the colour after the rice is done.

• Serve hot .