vegetarian fried rice

One of the things my parents instilled in us from an early age, was to NEVER waste food, so growing up you’d always find containers (usually old margarine containers) with leftover food in the fridge. I love rice (brown parboiled) in just about any way it can be cooked, so having leftover rice in the fridge is like seeing the pieces of puzzle waiting to be put together. Said puzzle does not have an after picture to follow, so it’s rare that my final fried rice is ever the same. This time I’m using some fresh Jamaican callaloo (called chorai bhagi or spinach in the rest of the Caribbean) from my garden.

You’ll Need…

2-3 cups cooked rice (chilled)
1 tablespoon veg oil
1 shallot (or small onion)
1 clove garlic
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon soy sauce (see note below)
1/2 cup diced bell pepper
1/3 cup diced carrot
1 cup prepared Jamaican callaloo (trimmed)
2 okra
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Notes. Be sure to use gluten free soy sauce if doing this gluten friendly and if you want more of that vegetable – add about a cup more of the prepared Jamaican callaloo.

Learn how to prepare Jamaican callaloo for cooking: How To Prepare Jamaican Callaloo.

Tip! Make sure the rice is chilled so you’ll get a nice grainy fried rice at the end. Prepare all your ingredients in advance (chop/dice) as this recipe cooks very fast. Heat the veg oil on a medium flame in a wok or non-stick pan and add the garlic, shallot, diced peppers, carrot and black pepper. Cook for 2-3 mins.

Then add the prepared (chopped) Jamaican Callaloo and diced scotch bonnet pepper. Remember to wash your hands after handling the scotch bonnet, don’t use any of the seeds or white membrane surrounding the seeds and tailor the amount used to your own tolerance.

Now add the chopped okra, soy sauce (see note above about gluten free) and sesame oil and cook for another 2-3 minutes. The callaloo will wilt.

Basically all you have to do now is add the rice, mix well and warm though and you’re done. You’ll notice that I did not add any salt as my rice was cooked in salted water and the soy sauce will add that extra sodium element. For a bit more flavor you can always add a tiny bit of freshly grated ginger at the start.

A delightful way to make use of leftover rice and for the doubters who think vegetarian food is bland and boring – guess again! This is a superb way to enjoy a quick meal with fresh ingredients (except the rice) and truly comforting.

Vegetarian

Festive Vegetarian Pineapple Fried Rice.

November 24, 2014January 21, 201410 Comments

This Caribbean inspired vegetarian pineapple fried rice is a wonderful way to use leftover rice you may have in the fridge and it must be noted that it is not a traditional Caribbean dish. However with use of wonderful Caribbean flavors you’ll find that you’ll purposely make extra rice just so you can have this dish on the regular.

You’ll need…

4 cups cooked rice (day old)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 bird’s eye pepper (or 1/4 scotch bonnet)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 large onion (diced)
1 bell pepper (1/2 yellow + 1/2 red)
1/4 teaspoon grated ginger
1 scallion
1/2 carrot (diced finely)
1 stalk celery (diced finely)
1.5 cups pineapple (1/4 inch pieces)
1 tablespoon veg oil
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon curry powder

optional – toasted coconut flakes – topping.

Notes: If you’re using freshly cooked rice (or leftover), may I suggest that you allow it to cool in the fridge for a few hours. This will give you a lovely grainy finish to the rich dish. I used parboiled brown rice, but you’re free to use any rice you like.

Start by prepping all your vegetables as this is a very quick dish to put together. Next heat the vegetable oil on a medium heat in a deep pot (I used a non stick pot to cut back on the amount of oil I use) and add the diced onion and garlic. Reduce the heat to low and let that cook for a couple minutes. Then add the diced celery, carrot and bell peppers and allow it to cook for 3 minutes (low heat).

Toss in the bird’s eye pepper (whole), grate in the ginger, add the black pepper, salt and curry.. raise the heat to medium and stir well. Cook for 2 minutes to toast the curry powder to bring out all the flavors of the spices in the curry powder. Then add the diced pineapple (you can use drained canned pineapple if you want) along with the soy sauce, sesame oil and hoisin sauce. Stir well.

Raise your heat to med/high and toss in the rice (note – if the rice was in the fridge as I suggested, take it out about 15 minutes before you start this dish) and mix well. The idea here is to warm the rice through and help it take on that wonderful flavor base we created. Let it cook for about 4-6 minutes, then top with the chopped scallion and turn off the heat. Serve!

You’ll notice that I didn’t use much salt as my rice was already cooked in salt and the soy sauce will contain much salt. Also notice that I didn’t cut or break the birds eye pepper as I wanted the flavor without the raw heat. But you can certainly cut them finely for that added kick. This is best served warm so your guests will really appreciate the combination of flavors we created with this tasty Caribbean inspired Vegetarian pineapple fried rice. A great way to add extra flavors and texture is to top the finished rice with some toasted shredded coconut.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. Oh yea! Leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Seafood

Shrimp Fried Rice.

October 11, 2012August 17, 201216 Comments

After striking gold with readers after posting the vegetable fried recipe earlier in the year, I knew I just had to post this shrimp fried rice recipe for you all. Not only is shrimp fried rice an excellent one pot meal on it’s own, it’s also a great way to use left-over rice you may have from a previous night’s dinner. I must confess that this was not a planned recipe as I would normally do… before setting up the cameras etc. There was some serious noise originating out of my belly and I knew I had to get some food down there before a fete broke out. It was then that I noticed that there was some cooked rice in the fridge.. one thing led to the next and I was enjoying a lovely lunch in the back yard within half hour. This shrimp fried rice takes less than 6 minutes to cook, but I had to wait for the shrimp to thaw or things would have been much faster.

You’ll Need…

1/4 cup small shrimp (cleaned/deveined)
1 medium onion
1 scallion
1/4 cup diced celery
1/4 cup diced carrot
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1 1/2 tablespoon soya sauce
1/2 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon Sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups rice (cooked) * see note below
2 tablespoon vegetable oil

Notes: You can also add added flavor by adding a couple cloves of crushed garlic the same time you add the grated ginger. I used brown rice which I cooked in salted water and allowed to chill in the fridge (it was left over rice). It’s important that you use chilled rice to get that lovely grainy texture of good fried rice.

Clean, devein and wash your shrimp.. then pat dry. In a small bowl place the shrimp and season with the black pepper and 5 spice powder. Let that marinate as you prepare the other ingredients. If you don’t know how to clean and devein shrimp, watch this video: How To Clean And Devein Shrimp.

Chop the onion, scotch bonnet pepper and scallion, then cube the carrot and celery (try to maintain the same size for even cooking).

Place your wok or non stick frying pan on medium/high heat and add the vegetable oil. Now add the onion and grated ginger and give it a good stir. You’ll be amazed at the lovely aroma which will hit you smack in your face. Now add the cubed celery and carrot as they will need to cook a bit so you have a slight crunch as you enjoy this dish. Allow that to cook for a minute or two, then add the seasoned shrimp and stir. Here is where you would also add the chopped scotch bonnet pepper slices (gotta have that Caribbean sunshine).

Add the soy sauce, sesame oil and oyster sauce to the pan.. don’t get alarmed when it get the entire pot blackish, it will balance off once we add the rice. Let that warm through for about 30 seconds, then add the chilled rice and give it a good stir.

It’s very important that you stir this very well so the rice is coated in that lovely colour and flavor we built. It should take about 2-3 minutes for the rice to heat through and pick all those exciting flavors of this shrimp fried rice. Now top with the chopped scallion and stir well.

You will notice that we did not add any salt as the soy sauce will add the element for us, plus the rice was cooked with salt. If you find that the overall colour is not dark enough for you, you can certainly add more soy sauce as necessary. Do remember that the more you add, it will change the saltiness of the finished dish.

The idea is to have everything prepared as you want to cook on a relatively high heat..FAST!

It was a day of leftovers as I included a piece of wicked jerk chicken I made the day before when we had some friends over. If shrimp is not your thing, you can certainly use chicken (slice thin) for an amazing chicken fried rice.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Gluten Free Vegetarian

Scrumptious Vegetable Fried Rice.

November 7, 2014January 16, 201234 Comments

Vegetable fried rice is one of those dishes that’s very simple to make and can be personalized in so many ways. But there are some dishes you simply can’t recreate (as you remember from your childhood) and to be quite honest I don’t even try, so in this recipe I’ll show you ‘my’ take on a wonderful rice dish. Growing up one of my favorite places to buy ‘chinee’ food was a spot on Mucarapo Street just past the old “Strand” cinema on the right side or the truck which sold food on the Promenade San Fernando (by the train engine). It still amazes me how the Chinese food in Trinidad and Tobago is so unique with it’s Caribbean taste and flavors. I’m still to come up with a recipe for the fried chicken you’d normally get with a combo, but rest assured I’m busy at work on it.

Our mom makes a deadly chicken and/or shrimp fried rice, but my sister is still the best when it comes to a tasty shrimp fried rice… something we look forward to when there’s a family gathering. In this recipe we’ll avoid meats in general, but with the layers of flavor we’ll build.. you’ll be amazed at how scrumptious this will be.

You’ll Need…

4 cups cooked rice (see note below)
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup diced carrot
2 scallions
1/2 cup diced bell pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 cloves of garlic crushed
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 large onion diced
3/4 teaspoon salt (see note below)
1/2 cup diced celery

Note: I used long grain brown rice as I much prefer this rice and it’s supposed to be a healthy rice to consume. I cooked it without salt and took it off the stove about 5 minutes before it was fully cooked. Additionally I allowed it to cool overnight in the fridge. These two things are the tricks to having a grainy fried rice, which will not clump or go soggy when you put the recipe together. You’ll notice that I used 3/4 teaspoon salt in the rice… since your tolerance for salt will be different than mine, do taste near the end of cooking and adjust accordingly.

Important: If you’re making this fried rice gluten free, do read the labels of the soy sauce and sesame oil to ensure they meet your dietary needs.

The first thing we need to do is to chop and cube all the vegetables we’ll be using in the vegetable fried rice. Try to keep the pieces uniform in size to allow for even cooking and try not to be too big as we need everything to cook fast.

Heat the vegetable oil on a med/high heat is a wide pan (I used my wok) then add the crushed garlic and ginger and give it a good stir. We’re trying to release all those wonderful flavors to use as abase for this vegetarian fried rice. That should cook for a minute or two, then add the diced carrots as this would be the one vegetable which will take long to cook. Give it a good stir and cook for a couple minutes.

Now add the diced onion, green pepper and celery. Allow that to cook for a couple minutes, then add the black pepper, soy sauce, salt and sesame oil. Everything will go dark, but have no fear.. once we add the cooked rice it will balance off.

It’s time to quickly add the frozen peas, give it a stir and start adding the rice. Remember to have chilled your rice in the fridge to achieve a grainy consistency when it’s all done. I absolutely hate fried rice which clumps together.

Keep stirring to make sure all the rice grains get coated evenly with the dark base we made. If you find that the colour is not dark enough for you, you can always add some more soy sauce at this point. I say at this point as we’ve not added the salt yet. Remember that the soy sauce is salty so if you add more.. adjust the amount of salt you add. Now is the time to add the salt, taste and adjust accordingly. All you’re doing here is basically heating through the rice, so within 4-5 minutes it should be done.

Turn off the stove, add the chopped scallions and give it a good final stir. Below you’ll find a video I did to use as an additional guide in making this vegetable fried rice.

There’s enough vegetable fried rice here for about 6-8 people and it goes well with the Shrimp Stir Fry recipe I put together a while back or just as good on it’s own.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

A Quick Jamaican Callaloo Fried Rice Recipe.

Festive Vegetarian Pineapple Fried Rice.

Shrimp Fried Rice.

Scrumptious Vegetable Fried Rice.

Hi, I'm Chris.

Log In