Vegetable Fried Rice Recipe - Indian style

I prefer to prepare Pulao or Fried rice varieties for a one pot meal as they are not only easy to make but also allow us to use many vegetables in a single dish.Fried rice is very quick to make if we have left over rice handy.I prepare various fried rice varieties apart from the famous Indo-Chinese Veg fried Rice and Indian style Fried rice.I plan to post some other varieties soon.

I learnt this recipe from my MIL a few years back.When she mentioned that she would prepare fried rice for lunch, I had no clue that she would make this version of fried rice.I had thought that she would prepare Chinese style fried rice(that was the only fried rice I was aware of in those days) and I was surprised to see the Indian style fried rice and I really liked the taste of this masaledar Indian fried rice.Later when I tasted the famous Tawa Pulao in Mumbai I realized that her fried rice tastes something similar to Mumbai's Tawa Pulao.You can try this Indian style fried rice for your kids by keeping the spices minimal.This is a nice lunch box option and also a good way to use vegetables in our diet.

If you are interested check out mix vegetable rice recipes like Indo-Chinese Vegetable Fried rice,Mixed Vegetable Pulav,Tawa Pulao and Coconut Milk Vegetable Pulav in my blog.

Indian Style Vegetable Fried Rice Recipe:

Serves 2

Prep time:10 mins | Cooking time:40 mins | Total time:50 mins

Cuisine:North Indian | Category:Rice-MainCourse

Ingredients:

1 cup Basmati Rice

1 medium Carrot,peeled finely chopped

10-12 French Beans,finely chopped

1 small Capsicum,finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh/frozen Green peas

2-3 tbsp Cabbage,finely chopped

1 large Onion,finely chopped

1 large Tomato,finely chopped

1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste

1/2 tsp Home made Garam masala or 1 tsp store bought Garam masala

1/2 tsp roasted Cumin powder

3/4 tsp Red chili powder

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1 Bay leaf

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves,to garnish

1 1/2 tbsp Oil

1 tbsp Ghee/Butter

Method:

• Wash and soak rice for 10 mins.Cook it in rice cooker or pressure cooker with 2 cups of water until done.gently fluff it with fork and spread it on a wide plate to cool completely.
• Heat oil and ghee/butter together in a thick kadai/pan and crackle cumin seeds.Add bay leaf and fry for half a minute.
• Add chopped onions and fry until they turn translucent.Add ginger-garlic paste and fry well for a minute.
• Now add finely chopped carrots,french beans and green peas and fry them for 2 mins and cover it cook on low flame for 4-5 mins until they are half cooked and taste still crunchy.
• Add cabbage,tomato and capsicum and fry again for 2-3 mins.You should maintain the crunch of all the vegetables.Let the tomato become slightly mushy.
• Add turmeric powder,red chili powder,garam masala and coat the vegetables with the masalas and fry for a minute.
• Add the cooked and cooled rice and enough salt and gently mix so that the rice would not break.Mix and let it cook for 2-3 mins on low flame,stir it occasionally.
• Now add chopped coriander and mix well.

Serve it hot with Onion-Tomato raita or Tomato sauce and chips/papad.

Notes:

1. You can even use pav bhaji masala instead of garam masala in the recipe.
2. Add 1 tsp lemon juice to the rice at the end and mix well,it is optional.I like it with out lemon juice.
3. You need to cool the rice completely otherwise it will become mushy.
4. I use home made Garam masala which is quite strong and hence use less quantity.If you are using stor bought masala increase the masala according to your taste buds.
5. It is important to maintain the crunchiness of vegetables for a good fried rice.

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