Schezuan Fried Rice

Diwali is long over and now the craving has set in for spicy warm flavors as the winter advents in Blr. I'm partial to Schezuan Fried Rice than the tame Veg Fried Rice. I have not found a single place in Blr. that makes a mean Schezuan rice. Here they use tomato ketchup in the Schezuan rice which makes the rice so limp in taste. Mine is a fiery hot and tasty Indian influenced Chinese rice. Its been years since I made my own Schezuan sauce and Fried rice. I am sharing here the Schezuan Fried Rice first and then will follow the recipe for the sauce. This recipe is from my Aunt, Aruna Kaki and my own twist to it. Kaki does not use soya sauce in her Schezuan Fried Rice while I do. Give it a try and let me know what you think of it.

Ingredients

1 cup raw rice

2 tablespoons soya sauce

3 tablespoons Schezuan Sauce

1.5 cup of mix vegetables diced fine (french beans, carrots, etc.)

1 cup chopped spring onions

2 tablespoons sesame oil or mustard oil

3/4 teaspoon salt

First wash clean and soak the rice in water for 1/2 hr. Then cook it in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles. Remove it out on a tray and fluff it up so you get separate grains of rice. Clumpy rice is no good.

Meanwhile steam the mixed veggies, I used just fresh french bean sliced teeny weeny and grated the carrots. Strain them to drain all water if any.

Heat oil to smokiness, add the steamed veggies. Stir quickly then add the Schezuan Sauce and soya sauce. Deftly mix the sauce and veggies. Now add the fine chopped spring onions. Mix in the rice and salt the dish. Be careful with the salt, both the sauces have salt in them. Give one final stir and mix. You will see the beautiful Kashmiri chili lending its intense red color to the rice. Pl. do not use food color, it is cancer causing. The natural red color is bright by it self.

Serve hot is bowls all the way Chinese style and pick up the chopstick if you can do them justice.

That's the Chinese meal we enjoyed last weekend! 

 Schezuan Veg Fried Rice, White bean salad with scallions, Schezuan sauce and Knorr's Hot and sour soup.