Traditional Chinese : Veg Fried Rice

Fried rice is made from steamed rice stir-fried in a wok, often with other ingredients, such as eggs, vegetables, and meat. It is sometimes served as the penultimate dish in Chinese banquets (just before dessert). As a home-cooked dish, fried rice typically is made with leftover ingredients from other dishes, leading to countless variations.

The many popular varieties of fried rice have their own specific list of ingredients. In Asia, the more famous varieties include Yangzhou and Fujian fried rice. Elsewhere, most restaurants catering to vegetarian or Moslem clientele have invented their own varieties of fried rice including egg fried rice, Indonesian (spicy) fried rice and the ubiquitous "special fried rice".

Fried rice is a common staple in American Chinese cuisine, especially in the form sold as fast food. The most common form of American Chinese fried rice consists of some mixture of eggs, scallions, and vegetables, with chopped meat added at the customer's discretion, and usually flavored with soy sauce instead of table salt (more typical for Chinese-style fried rice). Fried rice made in American Chinese restaurants can vary in appearance, from a dark brown appearance often seen in East Coast establishments, to a light brown appearance often seen in Midwestern American Chinese restaurants. Fried rice is also seen in other American restaurants, even in cuisines with no native tradition of the dish. The dish is also a staple of Chinese restaurants in the many countries around the world

Fried rice is my mom s favorite dish any time we go to a restaurant. She will always always end up ordering fried rice and gobi manchurian gravy. This recipe is in another way also close to my heart. Radio Mirchi had organised a competiion for Mother s day last year. The question was what will you make to make Mother day Special for your mom. My answer was  " I would make her favorite meal in restaurant style and make her happy " , I won the first prize and RJ from the station visited my house to taste my cooking and give me the gift hanper. 

Ingredients 

Cooked Rice - 2 cups

Veggies - 2 cups ( carrot and beans )

Spring Onions - 1 cup

Garlic - 1 tbsp ( minced finely )

White pepper powder - 2tssp

Salt to taste

Oil as required

Method 

For fried rice, if you use left over rice, nothing like that.

Chop the spring onions and keep the bulb and stalk separately

Finely chop carrot and beans

In a wide skillet , add a little oil and add the minced garlic

Add the chopped Onion bulbs to the garlic

Add the finely chopped carrot and beans to the sauteed onion garlic 

Cook for about a minute 

Add white pepper powder and adjust salt 

Switch of the flame and add rice to the veggies

Mix well so that the flavors incorporate well

Finally add the spring onion stalks and serve with Gobi Manchurian

Vegetable Briyani

It was a hot sunny day, but as it was nearing nightfall.. Rain gods blessed Chennai with a heavy shower of rains and I got completely drenched in those blessings. When I reached home, dad wanted to have something hot and spicy that was best suited for the weather. Having attended a Briyani Workshop where I happened to get hands on experience of making Briyani, I ventured into the kitchen to make this lovely tasty Briyani. I was amazed by my confidence and the taste of this dish. Dad loved it to the core.

I made raitha for the side. I have been reading about this Vegetable Briyani in many blogs. The post I read in Veena 's Blog was very impressive, the whole platter that she had made. With raitha, salad and curd rice. I re creating that vegetable Briyani for Day 3 of this blogging marathon session

Ingredients:

Basmati rice - 3 cups ( washed and soaked for 15 mins )

Veggies - beans , carrot , green peas , cauliflower - 3 cups

Onion - 2 cups 

Coriander and Mint Leaves - 1 cup

Tomato - 2 cups

Red Chili powder - 2 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Spices - clove, bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom.

Method:

In a presure pan heat some ghee and oil together 

Add the spices and saute for a minute's time

Add the onions and coriander mint leaves. Saute well till a wonderful aroma comes out.

I love this flavor of coriander, mint and onion.

Follow it by the cut veggies and spice powders

Saute for 5 minutes 

Measure 4 1/2 cups of water (Basmati rice 1 cup = 1 1/2 water )

Add water and the soaked basmati rice to the veggie mixture

Adjust salt and pressure cook for two whistles in high and one whistle in low flame

Remove from heat and wait till the pressure releases

Take the vessel from the cooker and fluff the rice up

Serve hot with onion raitha and potato chips or Appalam

Check what my fellow bloggers are cooking for today

Vegetable Kurma

Day 2 of Blogging Marathon, under Gourmet Gravies, Im posting the versatile Vegetable Korma. This is a very common gravy in our households. We usually make it with some veggies, and coconut gravy. My grand mom used to make it cashew paste and fried cashew nuts. I always remember her and my Athai when I make this, both of them love it. Especially Athai loves it with Dosa. She is in Australia now and I miss her so much.

Ingredients

Mixed veggies - 2 cups 

I used beans, carrot, capsicum and cauliflower

Onion sliced - 1 cup

Tomato - 1 cup

Coconut - 1/2 cup

Cashew nut - 10

Coriander -  a small bunch

Red chili powder - 1 tbsp

Coriander powder - 2 tbsp

Green chili - 3

Salt to taste

Oil as required

Spices - cardamom, clove, bay leaf

Method

Cut the veggies into small pieces and boil them except capsicum

In a heavy bottomed wok , heat a little oil

When the oil is hot add the spices and saute for a minute

Add the sliced onions and cut tomatoes into the oil and saute till they are soft and done

In the mean while, blend coconut, 5 cashew nuts and green chili into a smooth paste with very little water

Now add the capsicum into the sauteed onions and tomato

When the capsicum is somewhat half done, add the boiled veggies

Followed by the coconut, cashew nut paste and the spice powders

Adjust salt and add chopped coriander leaves

Let this boil and come to a gravy consistency

Serve hot with Dosa or chapatti or Idli

Do check what my fellow bloggers are making for this Marathon #19

Vegetable Semiya for Blog Hop Wednesdays

This is the second month of Blog Hop Wednesdays and I am paired with Prabha . She has a lovely blog with very creative and simple dishes. I have bookmarked a few of them, will be trying them out very soon. Simple yet easy , breezy dish is what I have chosen to make from her blog.I decide to try  her Vegetable Semiya 

This is a very simple yet hearty breakfast, in which you can include lot of veggies. If you read my blog you can see, that I love to add lot of veggies to my dishes. This is one satisfying dish with lot of veggies. It can add a variation to 

Ingredients:
Semiya / Vermicelli - 2 cups
Veggies - 11/2 cups ( carrot, beans, green peas, capsicum)
Onion - 1 sliced
Green Chili - 2 slit lengthwise
Curry leaves - 4 - 5 leaves
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds for tempering

Method:
Boil the veggies separately and drain the water
Boil only carrots, beans and green peas
In a big pot boil water and then add the semiya to it.
Cook the semiya till its just done and not mushy . Drain it.
In a heavy bottomed wok, heat some oil
When the oil is hot , add mustard seeds followed by curry leaves
Add the sliced onions, slit green chillies and saute for 2 mins
Now add the boiled veggies followed by capsicum.
When all these veggies blend together , add salt followed by the boiled semiya
Serve hot with coconut chutney.