Veg fried rice recipe with easy steps for beginners. Fried rice is a delicious meal in itself, loaded with fresh vegetables, packed with flavors and comes together under 30 minutes. If you are looking for a go-to meal for busy weeknights then this Chinese fried rice can be a great staple. This tastes as good as any restaurant version plus it is much healthier. Customize it with your favorite add-ons & enjoy veg fried rice at the comfort of your home.
It needs no sides, but many of use love those saucy Chinese sides like Manchurian or a chilli gravy when we eat out. So if you plan for a special weekend meal, then try this out with my Veg Manchurian or chilli paneer.
About Fried Rice
Fried rice is an Asian dish made by stir frying cooked rice in a wok with vegetables, soya sauce and sometimes with meat & eggs as well. You will find numerous versions across Asia, made with varying ingredients like onions, scallions, preserved meat, garlic etc.
Though fried rice originated in the Chinese cuisine, it is a staple in lot of other Asian countries like Indonesia, Thailand, Japan and India. Perfectly cooked grainy & non-sticky rice, the right amount of sauce & high heat is what makes any fried rice the best.
Chinese food is all about the amazing smoky aroma, saucy flavors and the beautiful colors. Well-made fried rice is stir fried in a carbon steel or cast iron wok on the highest heat to acquire the unique smoky aroma. The right amount of sauces coat the rice with a delicate flavor & transform to a mouth-watering dish.
Home cooked foods can never beat the flavors of foods served in authentic Chinese restaurants. Large woks, large stoves/burners & high heat imparts a natural smoky aroma which cannot be replicated exactly. But still it is not viable for many of us to eat out often.
My Recipe
In this post I share with you the easiest recipe to make the best flavorful and aromatic veg fried rice at home.
My fried rice recipe does not use a lot of ingredients except for good quality aged rice, soya sauce, veggies, vinegar and oil. I do not use ajinomotto (MSG) to make any of our foods. You can still make a very good vegetable fried rice without it. Most restaurants use it as it enhances the taste & flavor.
So this is our favorite go to basic fried rice recipe. I also customize it in numerous way so my boys don’t get bored of it. Check out the possible variations below.
How To Make Veg Fried Rice (Stepwise photos)
If you have precooked grainy (non-mushy) rice, then skip this section completely. Most people prefer to use up 1 day old cooked rice or left over rice. We don’t eat leftover rice so I always make fried rice with fresh cooked rice. I have shown below the way we personally prefer & is guaranteed to give the best results.
Preparation – cook rice
1. Soak 1 cup rice for 10 to 20 mins. If you are a large family you can make make more rice (upto 3 cups) following the same method. Add rice to a large bowl. This is the kind of basmati rice I use. You can also use any long grain or medium grain like Jasmine rice or sona masuri.
2. Rinse the rice very well at least thrice to get rid of the starch. Any excess starch is going to make the rice sticky and gluey. If using aged basmati rice, I prefer to soak for at least 10 to 20 mins. This prevents the grains from turning hard and dry after stir frying in the wok.
3. Meanwhile pour 4 to 5 cups of water to a large pot and bring it to a rolling boil on a medium high flame. When the water begins to boil, drain the rice.
4. Add it to the boiling water. Also add 1 teaspoon oil to the water. Continue to cook on a medium high heat.
5. Keep checking so you don’t overcook. This only takes a few minutes. Cook the rice al dente and not mushy. Grains must be separated yet fully cooked. This is how they look when perfectly done.
6. Quickly drain the rice to a colander. Cool it until all of the steam vanishes. Fluff it up with a fork. If the rice is perfectly al dente, you can cover and set aside. This prevents the rice from drying & becoming hard.
Troubleshooting: If you feel your rice is on the softer side & slightly over cooked, sprinkle 1 tablespoon oil on the hot rice and spread it. Cool it without covering.
Prepare vegetables for fried rice
7. While the rice cooks, chop all the veggies you need for this fried rice recipe. Here is the list:
1 small carrot – ¼ to ½ cup fine chopped
½ small bell pepper (¼ to ½ cup fine chopped)
4 to 5 French beans (¼ cup fine chopped)
¼ to ½ cup fine chopped cabbage or 6 button mushrooms sliced (optional)
¼ cup green onions (scallions, 4 stalks, separate greens & whites)
1 green chilies slit (optional)
1 tablespoon fine chopped garlic