After a long time I tried cooking some Chinese food at home today...Strictly speaking, we cannot call this authentic Chinese food coz Chinese generally use a lot of sausage, fish oil, oyster oil and beaten eggs in their cooking. I'm a vegetarian but I like to try dfferent cuisines. So you can probably call this a fried rice with a Chinese touch.
Traditionally Chinese use peanut oil in their cooking, but I prefer using olive oil. It gives a good flavour to the food and I believe its healthy. I also used a wok, that's the best for quick frying. Method wise I try to follow the Chinese way, for eg. chopping vegetables very finely, quick frying on high flame, etc.
1 1/2 cups Long grained / basmati rice
1/2 cup french beans
1/2 cup carrot
1/2 cup capsicum
1 cup spring onion whites
1 cup spring onion greens
1 tbsp celery
1 tsp soya sauce
a pinch MSG
Oil
Salt to taste
Wash and soak rice for 30 minutes.Drain and keep aside.
Thinly slice into strips beans, carrot and capsicum. Slice onion and greens. chop celery.
Cook the rice in 10 cups of boiling water along with salt and little oil. Drai n the water. Immediately pour cold water on top and toss with a little oil.
Heat the oil in a wok on a high flame and add the vegetables, except for the spring onion greens. Add the MSG and stir fry until vegetables are soft.
Add soya sauce, spring onion greens, salt and rice. Mix well and saute for a couple of minutes.
I made a Hong Kong style vegetable from Tarla Dalal's recipe to go with it...
2 cups parboiled mixed vegetable cubes (carrot, beans, baby corn)
1 capsicum, cut into big pieces
2 tsp finely chopped ginger
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
3 to 4 whole dry red chillies, broken into pieces
2 pinches MSG
2 tbsp soya sauce
2 tsp white vinegar
2 tsp chilli sauce
1 1/2 cups water
2 tbsp cornflour, dissolved in 1/4 cup water
a pinch sugar
2 tbsp oil
salt and pepper to taste
Heat the olive oil in a wok over a high flame, add he vegetables, chillies and MSG and stir fry for 2 minutes.
Add the soya sauce, vinegar, chilli sauce, sugar, salt and pepper and mix well.
Add the cornflour mixture and water and simmer for some time.
Serve hot!
