Burnt Garlic Fried Rice

Burnt garlic fried rice is a regular fried rice recipe with the added goodness of fried garlic.

RECIPE :

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Refined Groundnut oil
• 2 cups cooked basmati or any long grained rice
• 2 tbsp finely chopped garlic (adjust to taste)
• 2 spring onion whites chopped lengthwise and the greens chopped fine
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp white pepper powder
• Finely chopped carrots and blanched as per choice (when you blanch them add a pinch of salt to the water,it brightens the colour of carrots)
• 1 small green capsicum chopped fine
• 1/2 tsp vinegar
• Salt to taste

METHOD

• Heat a wok over a high flame add 1 tbsp oil and swirl it so that it coats the wok.Reduce the flame add finely chopped garlic and stirfry till golden brown. Remove and keep aside.
• In the same wok add 1 tbsp oil, add spring onion whites and stir fry for a minute.Add capsicum, stir fry.
• Add blanched carrots and stir fry. Add cooked rice and stir fry again.Add white pepper powder and salt.
• Add light soy sauce,and toss well. Finally sprinkle 1/2 tsp vinegar and half of the fried garlic stir fry well.
• Garnish with spring onion greens and rest of the fried garlic. Serve hot.

TIP :

• The whole cooking should be done on high flame and constant stir frying to get the crunchy effect.
• Use refined groundnut oil.It makes a huge difference tastewise. Also Chinese cooking requires stir frying on high flame and groundnut oil can sustain high temperature.
• Light Soy Sauce is saltier so take it into consideration while adding salt.
• The flavour of soy sauce varies from brand to brand, so use accordingly. I have used Lee Kum Kee brand of Light Soy Sauce.

Cooking the rice by open pot method :

• Wash 1 cup rice 3 to 4 times to let go off excess starch and till water runs clear, drain the water.Set aside for 30 minutes.
• Add approximately thrice the quantity of water in a heavy bottomed pan and boil it. Add the rice, 1 tsp lime juice and 2 tsps of oil.
• Let it boil and once the rice is nearly cooked drain off excess water,transfer the rice to a flat plate and fluff up the rice with a fork. The rice should be tender but not mushy.

NOTE:

• Wash basmati rice, drain the water and set aside for about 30min. This reduces cooking time.
• Adding 1 tsp lemon juice to the rice while cooking gives separate grains of rice as well as a brighter look to the rice.
• 3/4th cup long grained rice gives approximately 2 cups rice after cooking depending on the size and quality of the grain.