A quick and tasty Indian style fried rice recipe you can cook in under 15 minutes, from scratch. Prep and saute the veggies while the rice is cooking. This dish is vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, has no artificial sugars, and is very, very kid-friendly.
We had a crazy thunderstorm last night. I love thunderstorms and they always are crazy, but when they happen in a valley high in the Allegheny mountains, where the closest house is more than a mile away and the night outside is so black that it makes your city-dwelling head a little numb to even think about it, they are crazier than crazy.
The thunder's that much louder, the lightning, it seems, that much closer. And the rain hammering down on the metal roof of the tiny cottage and the wooden porch steps makes sleep impossible.
Desi, Jay, Opie and I are taking a short break from our usually hectic lives by chilling out in one of our favorite vacation spots: a beautiful little getaway in Pennsylvania, not far from where it borders Maryland. Desi and I discovered it on the internet more than 12 years ago and our first thought was, won't it be great for the dogs! We had just adopted Lucy, a strapping young babe who could run like the wind, and Opie, a puppy with the face of an angel. And they loved it more than we had imagined. Each time we visited, Lucy would race out of the car and up the steep hills as deftly as one of the whitetail deer who were all around. Opie, not as athletic but just as adventurous, would take off to the placid lake, where he would spend hours nosing around for, perhaps, a bone buried by another visitor's dog?
This time, like he always does, Desi buried his nose in a puzzle the minute we landed while Jay, a first-timer, took off on his bike to explore. Opie. still angel-faced but too old now for adventure, staked out a green, grassy, tree-shaded spot just outside the cottage to lie down and take a nap in.
I, meanwhile, dug into the bags of groceries I had brought along, wondering what to cook for dinner in the tiny kitchen. One of the greatest challenges on vacations like these is planning the meals. You're on holiday, so you want to eat well, you have a kitchen and time to cook, but how on earth do you remember to bring everything you need to make everything you want to? And you do have to remember, because the nearest grocery store is miles and miles away.
That might be an easier question for a more organized person to answer, but when you're a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants planner, the way I am, you always forget to bring something or the other. So over the years I've learned to stick with simple, easy dishes I can prepare with few ingredients, and fast, so I have time to do more of something else I love, like take a hike or bury myself in a book or a magazine. Something like this 15-minute Vegetable Fried Rice, Indian style.
This is not to be confused with this Indochinese Veg Fried Rice, which is an amazing dish by itself. This one has more of a traditional Indian flair. It is truly a 15-minute dish, and you make it from scratch, including cooking the rice (although leftover rice is wonderful for this). You do need a microwave or a pressure cooker to get the rice done, and you can get your veggies prepped and sauteed while the rice cooks. Then all you need to do is put it all together.
This is a dish almost every Indian cook makes on the fly, and I remember my mom and every aunt had a version of it. I often make it with brown rice or even quinoa, but this time, given that I had limited resources, I used the more traditional white Basmati rice. This dish is delicious served with some Indian pickle and poppadum and, maybe, a nice vegan cucumber raita. Or you can go the extra mile and serve it with a dal.
You can also vary the veggies here-- just make sure they are quick-cooking. I used green peppers, carrots and scallions, but a leafy like spinach, broccoli, or zucchini or yellow squash would all be great in here.
I am off to curl up with a book now. The sky is clear tonight and the sound of the crickets outside is almost as deafening as the thunder was. Joy. Hope you're looking forward to a lovely weekend too.
More vegan rice recipes
- Jeera Rice or Cumin Rice, no soak, no prep, 15 minutes
- Instant Pot Khichdi with Mung Bean Sprouts
- Coconut Rice, South Indian Style
- 20-minute Dill Turmeric Pilaf
- Masala Khichdi
- Veg Tehri, a one-pot, aromatic rice and vegetable pilaf
15-Minute Indian Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked basmati rice
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 medium onion (minced)
- 1 green bell pepper (finely chopped)
- 2 medium carrots (diced or cut into thin rings)
- 2 scallions (finely diced)
- 1 teaspoon pulao masala (or garam masala)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoon mint (or cilantro, chopped)
- Juice of ½ lemon
Serve with
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan or, preferably, a wok. Add the mustard seeds and, when they sputter, add the onions, green peppers. scallions, and carrots.
- Saute until the veggies turn translucent, about five to seven minutes, then add the pulao masala or garam masala, turmeric, and cayenne.
- Lower the heat and stir-fry for a couple of minutes. You can add a teaspoon or two of water to prevent the spices from burning.
- Add the cooked rice and stir-fry for a couple of minutes, making sure everything is well-mixed.
- Add the lemon juice and mint or coriander leaves.
- Add salt to taste, mix well, and serve hot.
Ana
Super easy and very tasty, exactly what I needed to serve up with some leftover dal.
Shah Saud Alam
I am not a very good cook but I tried the fried rice recipe given here. I must say it was delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Vaishali
There are no good cooks -- just people who cook with love. 🙂 Happy you enjoyed it.
theveganjunction
I hope you (all) thoroughly enjoyed your break from busy-ness! I think I will be having this tonight, so I can have some more time for movie watching. 🙂
Elsje Parsons Massyn
You sound like a great family (I include your cute doggies here) taking exciting outdoor vacations and still taking the time to cook up a "storm" - love your stories about your family and your animals. The rice recipe is most welcome, thanks - so easy to make !!
Vaishali Honawar
Hi Elsje, the dogs are the greatest part of the family for sure, although we're down to a one-dog family now after our beloved Lucy passed away a couple of years ago. Opie, although an old guy now, sure keeps us busy with the loving. 🙂
Marie @ Flying Frog Nutrition
I do not often attempt to cook Indian dishes (I do, however, use many of your baking recipes), but this sounds like an easy introduction to Indian cooking! I will try it - thank you.
Vaishali Honawar
Hi Marie, very true-- it doesn't get any simpler than this with Indian cuisine. Hope you try!
geetha
Lovely description of your holiday,Vaishali! I felt I was there.delicious and easy recipe too!!
Vaishali Honawar
Thanks Geetha! Wish you were there. 🙂