Schezwan Fried Rice

"Schezwan" means "spicy" but I toned down the spice level by adding more tomato ketch-up. This is yet another Chinese dish that we find easily available in Indian restaurants claiming to serve Indo-Chinese cuisine. Making the Schezwan sauce is the crucial part of this recipe. I didn't want to go with the store-bought ones as I couldn't find any brand that didn't contain ajinomoto/MSG.  Do let me know if you know of any :)

How to Make Schezwan sauce:

• Soak 10 red chillies(after removing the seeds) in hot water for 10 minutes. 
• Grind it together with 5 garlic pods, a piece of ginger and some chopped celery.
• Take 2 tsp oil in a pan, saute this paste for a minute.
• Add 1 tsp vinegar, 2 tbsp of tomato ketch-up, 1/2 tsp sugar , some salt and pepper to taste. 
• Increase heat to high and stir-fry for a minute and then switch-off.  Let stand for another minute until it thickens.
• Store the sauce and refrigerate. You can use it to make Schezwan noodles as well.

What You Need To Make Schezwan Fried Rice:

Basmati rice - 1 cup
Schezwan sauce - 1 tbsp
Kashmiri red chillies (long ones that are not spicy) - 3 
Onions - 1 medium (chopped)

Carrot, Beans, Capsicum - cut into slender long pieces  - 1 cup (You can add cabbage, peas, corn, etc. if you like)

Spring onions - plenty!
Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Cashewnuts - to garnish (optional)

How To:

• Cook Basmati rice such that the grains are separate and non-sticky. I tried many methods and finally found this to be working. Here's how :

Cook rice by adding 1 cup (soaked for 15 minutes) Basmati rice to 4 cups of boiling water for 10 minutes. Let them sit for another 5 minutes. Not all the water would have been absorbed, it's ok.  Just drain the excess water using a colander and spread the cooked rice on a big, slightly oiled plate and let them cool. That way, you get that fluffy, long-grained rice with each grain separate :)

• Heat 1 tsp oil in a deep pan, tear and add Kashmiri chillies (optional), then, fry onions.
• Once onions turn pinkish, add the veggies, add required salt, sprinkle some water, close the pan and cook them for 10 minutes.

• Add Schezwan sauce and  Soy sauce in high heat for a minute. 
• Simmer and mix rice. 
• Garnish with plenty of spring onions and some roasted cashews :)