Veg Schezwan Fried Rice/Sichuan Fried Rice

Schezwan fried rice is a hot,spicy and irresistible Indo-Chinese recipe, which uses Schezwan sauce. dry red chillies and garlic as the main ingredients. Usually it is to be served as a main course in Chinese meal. I have tasted this in my office cafeteria. Schezwan fried rice with Veg Manchurian is my favorite combo. When I made this for the first time VJ liked it too. Try this out and you will get to know why this addicts you :-)

Ingredients

Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Schezwan Sauce - 2 tbsp
Mixed vegetables (carrots, beans, cabbage, broccoli cooked peas, capsicum etc) - 1/2 cup apprx
Salt and Pepper - as per taste
Sugar - a pinch
Oil - 2 tbsp

To Grind

Dry Red chillies - 4 or 5
Garlic pods - 5

Method

1. Soak the basmati rice in water for 20-30 minutes and then wash 7-8 times thoroughly to remove the surface starch and drain the water completely. Add 2 cups of water and pressure cook for 3 whistles. When the pressure releases fluff it up with a fork gently without breaking the grains and set aside.  
2. Grind the dry red chillies and garlic pods without adding water and keep aside.
3. Chop the carrots, beans, capsicum and cabbage finely along with the spring onion whites. Reserve the green part of the spring onion for garnishing finally
4. Heat oil in a pan, add the spring onion whites and saute for few seconds. Then add the vegetables one by one and saute for few more minutes. Do not over cook the veggies, let them retain their crunchiness.
5. Add the schezwan sauce and the red chilli+garlic mixture and sugar and cook in a low flame for few minutes. Make sure the raw smell goes off, else your rice will not taste good.
6. Mix in the rice and add salt and pepper. Finally garnish with the green part of the spring onion. Yummy Veg Schezwan Fried Rice is ready to be digged in!!

Veg Manchurian

Veg Manchurian is a very popular Indo-Chinese dish, prepared with deep fried vegetables balls sauted in a soya sauce based gravy. This pairs perfectly with Veg Schezwan Fried Rice. This can be prepared dry or as saucy consistency. It tastes good both ways.

Ingredients

Finely chopped capsicum, cabbage, carrot, beans and spring onion whites - 1 cup

Maida/all-purpose flour - 1 tbsp
Cornflour - 1 tbsp
Rice flour - 1/2 tbsp
Ginger-Garlic paste - 1/2 tbsp
Green chillies finely chopped - 2 or 3
Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt as per taste and oil for deep frying
Warm water as required (1 or 2 tbsp should be sufficient)

For sauce:

Spring onions green, finely chopped - 1/4 cup
Finely minced garlic - 1 tbsp
Finely chopped green chillies - 1 or 2
Soya sauce - 1 tbsp
Chilli sauce - 1 tsp
Tomato sauce - 1 tbsp
Cornflour 1 tbsp mixed with 1 cup of water and make a paste out of it
salt as required and a pinch of sugar
Sesame oil - 1 tbsp

Preparing the vegetable balls

1. Heat oil for deep frying in a heavy bottomed pan.
2. In a bowl, combine all the chopped vegetables, corn flour, maida, ginger-garlic paste, green chillies, salt and pepper. Mix well just by sprinkling very less water so that you can make small balls out of the mixture.
3. Deep fry in hot oil until golden brown. Drain on absorbant paper and keep aside.

The sauce

1. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan on high flame. Add  garlic, green chillies and ginger one by one and stir fry for few seconds over the high flame.
2. Add the sauces, corn flour  paste, sugar and salt and simmer for few minutes.
3. Just before serving put the vegetable balls in the sauce and bring to a boil. Toss on high flame, the veg balls should remain crunchy.
4. Turn off the heat and garnish with the chopped spring onion greens.

For Manchurian with gravy, add little bit of water to the sauce and follow the same steps above. My favorite combo is Veg Manchurian with Schezwan Fried Rice.