A delicious and popular Indo-Chinese dish, this is the vegetarian schezwan fried rice.
Ingredients:
Rice – 2 cups
French Beans – 1 cup, finely chopped
Carrot – 1 cup, finely chopped
Cauliflower – 1 cup, finely chopped
Spring Onions – 1 cup, finely chopped
Red Chilli Sauce – 1/2 tsp
Garlic – 1 tsp, finely chopped
White Pepper Powder – 1/2 tsp
Oil – 2 tsp
Orange Food Colour – 1/2 tsp
Salt as per taste
For the Schezwan Sauce:
Garlic – 20 cloves, finely chopped
Ginger – 1 inch piece, finely chopped
Dry Red Chillies – 10, soaked in water, seeds removed and ground smoothly
Red Chilli Sauce – 1 tsp
Soya Sauce – 1 tsp
Sugar – a pinch
White Pepper Powder – 1/2 tsp
Vinegar – 1 tsp
Oil – 1 tsp
Salt as per taste
Method:
1. To make the schezwan sauce, heat oil in a pan.
2. Saute the garlic for a minute.
3. Add ginger and fry for another 30 seconds.
4. Add the ground red chilli paste and fry until light brown.
5. Add chilli sauce, soya sauce, salt, white pepper powder and mix well.
6. Cook until the oil starts to separate.
7. Add sugar, vinegar and cook for another 2 minutes.
8. Add little water and reduce flame to low.
9. Simmer for 5 minutes and remove.
10. Keep aside until required.
11. To make the fried rice, pour 4 cups of water to rice and cook until done. The cooked rice should be separate and not sticky.
12. Heat oil in a pan.
13. Fry the garlic for a minute or two or until light brown.
14. Add 3/4 cup of spring onions, carrot, beans, cauliflowers and saute well for 2 to 3 minutes.
15. Add salt, pepper powder and schezwan sauce.
16. Mix well and cook for 3 minutes.
17. Add 1/2 tsp vinegar and 1/4 tsp food colour.
18. Stir to mix well.
19. Add the cooked rice, salt and mix gently.
20. Add the red chilli sauce, remaining vinegar, food colour and mix until evenly combined.
21. Add the remaining spring onions and stir well for 2 minutes.
22. Transfer to a serving bowl.
23. Serve hot with raita, ketchup or gravy of choice.
