Vegetable fried rice

• 200g brown rice
• a pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 300ml water
• For the stir fry:
• 1 tbsp. groundnut oil
• 2 small carrots, shredded (with the julienne side of a peeler)
• 1 broccoli stalk, shredded (with the julienne side of a peeler)
• 3-4 leaves of romaine lettuce or napa cabbage
• ½ cup frozen peas, thawed
• 2-3 spring onions, chopped
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tbsp. chili bean sauce (or another chili paste)
• 1 tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 tbsp. Shaoxing wine or dry sherry

METHOD

1. Rinse the rice with cold water, place it in a pan and cover with more cold water to cover it. Leave for half an hour. Drain the rice, add fresh water in about 1 ½ volume of the rice, like above in grams; if you’re measuring in cups, it will be 1 ½ cup water for each cup of rice.

2. Add the salt and oil and bring to a boil. When it’s boiling stir well, cover tightly with a lid and turn the heat down to minimum. Leave it to cook, covered all the time, for 25-30 minutes depending on the type of rice: brown cooks longer than jasmine or basmati. When the time is up, don’t lift the lid; place the pan on a wet dishcloth for five minutes. Uncover, fluff up and serve.

3. To make the fried rice, prepare the shredded or chopped vegetables of your choice; the egg, the spring onions and the sauce mix in a small cup.

4. Heat up the groundnut oil in a wok until shimmering and add the vegetables. Stir fry for a minute, add the peas (give them a minute at that point if still frozen), spring onions and the rice.

5. Stir fry for a minute, make a well in the middle of the wok and pour in the egg. Scramble it with chopsticks and stir into the rice. Make a well in the middle again and pour in the sauce. Stir fry for a minute to combine, then serve.

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See also

Five spice duck

Spicy bacon and cucumber salad

Salmon in oyster sauce