Vegetable Fried Rice

Name: Vegetable Fried Rice
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Yield: 1 to 2 servings
Cuisine: Chinese Menu
Ingredients: Cooked Rice — 300g; Chickpeas — 40g; Garlic — 2 cloves; Red Onion — ½; Spring Onion — 1; Carrots — 40g; Broccolini — 60g; Cremini Mushrooms — 2; Sweetcorn — 40g; Chilli Oil — 2 tbsp; Light Soy Sauce — 2 tbsp

Chinese Vegetable Fried Rice (Sù Chǎofàn) is the ultimate 'clean' comfort food. Unlike the heavier, meat-laden versions, this dish celebrates the freshness of the garden, using a rainbow of crisp vegetables to provide texture and natural sweetness. It is a light, aromatic, and deeply satisfying dish that relies on the quality of the rice and the precision of the stir-fry.

Cuisines

Cooking Instructions

Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 5 minutes

Servings: 1 to 2

Notes:

Chilled day-old cooked rice is essential because it keeps the grains separate and prevents the fried rice from becoming soft or gummy.

Crushing the chickpeas slightly with a fork allows them to absorb the flavoured oil and integrate seamlessly into the rice.

Standard vegetable oil or sesame oil can be used instead of chilli oil if a milder, non-spicy dish is preferred.

Feel free to adapt the vegetables based on what you have on hand, such as garden peas, bell peppers, or baby corn.

Prep the Ingredients
Crush the chickpeas with a fork in a small bowl. Roughly chop the garlic, dice the red onion, finely chop the spring onion, and cut the carrots, broccolini, and cremini mushrooms into small bite-sized pieces.

Sauté Aromatics and Chickpeas
Heat the chilli oil in a non-stick pan or wok over medium heat. Add the diced red onion, chopped spring onion, chopped garlic, and crushed chickpeas, stir-frying for 1 minute until fragrant.

Sauté Vegetables
Add the diced carrots and chopped broccolini to the pan, followed by the cremini mushrooms. Stir-fry over medium-high heat for another minute. Stir in the sweetcorn.

Stir-fry Rice and Season
Add the chilled leftover rice to the pan, breaking up any clumps with a spatula. Pour the light soy sauce over the rice and stir-fry rapidly for 1 to 2 minutes until every grain is hot and evenly coated.

Plate and Serve
Transfer the steaming fried rice into a bowl and serve immediately.