Ingredients
- 300 g whole grain basmati rice, (cooked ahead of time and cooled completely)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 shallots, chopped
- 2-3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons curry powder (mild)
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon soft brown sugar
- 1 fresh red chili, thinly sliced
- 1 head of broccoli, cut into small florets
- 1-2 handfuls frozen peas
Optional add-ins:
- 1 handful shredded red cabbage tossed in before serving or 2 handfuls shredded Chinese cabbage (which can be added along with the other vegetables)
For serving:
- Sambal Oelek chili paste
- lime wedges
- soya sauce
- fresh cilantro (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large deep skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic and ginger and cook for 3-5 minutes, until shallots have softened.
- Add the curry, turmeric and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, then add the pre-cooked rice. Cook, strirring well to incoporate the spices, for about 10 minutes, until lightly browned.
- Add the soya sauce and brown sugar stir well to combine.
- Add the fresh chili, broccoli and peas, cover and cook over medium heat for 5 or more minutes, until the vegetables reach the desired consistency. Mix in the shredded red cabbage, if using.
- Spoon into bowls. Serve with Sambal Olek (chilli paste) plus a wedge of lime. Enjoy!
Notes
- The rice should be cooked 2-3 hours before it is fried, so that it has time to become cold. Why? Well, cold rice won’t stick together when it hits the wok. Which I think makes it takes way better. If you don’t have pre-cooked rice then simply cook your rice and then spread it out onto a large plate or tray to allow it to cool completely before proceeding with the recipe.
- Traditionally, the recipe is topped with fried egg or omelet. If you like, top it with a fried free-range organic egg. Or to keep it vegan while adding a little extra protein, top with cashews or add firm tofu to the recipe when frying the pre-cooked rice.
- The use of Sambal Oelek is key to a flavorful vegetable fried rice. Instead of adding this directly to the rice dish, I let everyone add as much as they want once the dish is complete. This way you can enhance the flavor with just a little Sambal Oelek or a lot if you are a fan of spicy. I recommend adding just a little to start with and continue adding more until you reach the desired spice level.