Healthy Recipes: Chinese-Style Vegetable Fried Rice
Chinese Foods:
Chinese-style foods normally taste different from other foods. They often use monosodium glutamate (also known as Ajinomoto or MSG) and olive oil when cooking. Ajinomoto imparts a unique taste and flavor that dominates the flavor of other ingredients used in making the dish. Due to controversies associated with Ajinomoto, I do not use it in my recipes. You can make delicious fried rice without using it. Vegetable fried rice is eaten best with Manchurian or Paneer chili as a side dish.
Tips for buying soy sauce:
One of the ingredients I used here is soy sauce. When choosing a soy sauce, make sure that it is brewed naturally. Also, check whether it has Ajinomoto (MSG/Monosodium Glutamate) content in it. Soya sauce is sometimes made using harsh chemicals that might have side effects on health. Go for natural, Ajinomoto-free soy sauce.
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 2 cups long grain rice or Basumati rice
- 1 tsp garlic, crushed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp vinegar
- 1 tsp salt, as per taste
- 3/4 tsp pepper powder
- 1 mace, broken into pieces,optional, I didn't use
- 1 star anise, broken into pieces, optional, I didn't use
- 1/4 cup carrot, cut lengthwise
- 1/4 cup capsicum/bell pepper, cut lengthwise
- 1/4 cup french beans, cut lengthwise
- 1/4 cup cabbage, shredded lengthwise
- 1/4 cup spring onion, finely chopped
Step-By-Step Images and Instructions for Making Veg Fried Rice
- Wash rice. Soak in 3 cups of fresh water for 15 minutes. Cook up to two whistles, simmer for two minutes. Put off the fire. Open the cooker, spread the rice on a plate.
- Heat olive oil in a wok or in a deep bottomed Kadhai. Throw crushed garlic into it. Saute till it turns golden. Pour chopped vegetables, except bell pepper. Fry on high flame for 2 minutes. Add chopped bell pepper. Continue frying for one more minute. Add a pinch of sugar to retain the color of the veggies.
- Add soy sauce and vinegar. Stir-fry for few seconds. Add rice, pepper powder and salt. Mix once. Toss for even combining. Garnish with chopped spring onion greens.
- Chinese-style vegetable fried rice is ready to serve. Serve hot with Manchurian or with chili paneer as a side dish.
Note:
- Cook rice al dente.
- Cook vegetables on high flame to retain crunchiness.
- Toss at the final stage to combine the spices with the rice.
- Using mace and star anise gives a special flavor to this fried rice.
Nutritional Information of Vegetable Fried Rice
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving size: 1 cup | |
| Calories | 260 |
| Calories from Fat | 63 |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Fat 7 g | 11% |
| Carbohydrates 46 g | 15% |
| Sugar 3 g | |
| Fiber 6 g | 24% |
| Protein 6 g | 12% |
| Cholesterol 60 mg | 20% |
| Sodium 180 mg | 8% |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
3