by Shaheen Darr

Created on: March 19, 2008   Last Updated: January 06, 2009

Ingredients

Two cups of Pre cooked Rice

I carrot cut into julienne strips (optional)

Two spring onions

I courgette cut into julienne strips (optional)

3 tablespoons of vegetable oil

Method

It is best to have pre cooked rice for this recipe so it is ideal to make fried rice when you have boiled rice left over from the day before. I enjoy making fried rice in a Chinese wok because it gives you a wider surface area to turn over the rice without crushing the rice grains. It is also easier to stir in any ingredients that you might choose to add to your boiled rice in a wok rather than making it in a saucepan.

Take about 3 tablespoons of oil and put it in the heated wok. Now add into it some chopped spring onions, julienne strips of carrot and courgettes or any other vegetable that you enjoy eating. I love the versatility of this recipe because you can make it exactly how you want it rather than sticking to one fixed recipe. It is entirely up to you to choose the oil that you want to cook the vegetables in, I use olive oil sometimes or toasted sesame oil for more flavour if you like the nutty taste of this oil. Any vegetable oil can be used.

You can season the vegetables using some salt or white pepper or soy sauce if you prefer. There are times I have added cashew nuts or pine nuts to enhance the flavour of this dish. If you enjoy a particular ready made sauce you can add this to your vegetables as it is entirely what your taste buds prefer. Once the vegetables are hot but still quite crunchy add the boiled rice that you have to the wok. Gently stir together the vegetables and the rice until they are mixed together nicely and well coated with any sauce that you might have used.

I feel that the variations of fried rice are endless and you have a dish which is both nutritious and filling and a complement to any meal. You can also add eggs to the rice by cooking them separately in the pan and then adding them to the rice later. This is a dish that is appealing not only to your taste buds but also to the eye because of the different colours that show up on the serving dish, you have the white of the boiled rice being complemented by the colours of the different vegetables you choose to add to it.

Some people like to add meat to the fried rice and this is done at the stage when you fry the spring onions in the oil. You can add small pieces of boneless chicken, beef cut into very think strips or small pieces of white fish. Season with salt, pepper and you can add some garlic or ginger according to taste. Once the meat is cooked on high heat and is nearly done add the soy sauce or any other sauce like oyster sauce. Now add the cooked rice to the meat and give it a final stir so that all the ingredients are mixed together well. Once the rice is well coated switch off the heat and serve immediately

Learn more about this author, Shaheen Darr.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.