I cook fried rice 10,000 times better than i do Jollof Rice (and i cook a mean Jollof, if i do say so myself), i was the queen way before Jollof Rice somehow snuck up on Fried Rice and overtook it and somehow became the preferred one... *eye roll*
Anyways, this is not a post about my epic Nigerian fried rice, this is about my finally being able to slay fried rice using Basmati rice as well. Yes, it is a big deal because where you can cook regular parboiled rice for 30 minutes in stock and get it taste like angels are dancing on your tongue, with basmati rice you have 25% of the cooking time and you need the grains of rice to equally stand without sticking so i'd rather not cook it in stock.
3 Cups Basmati Rice
1 Teaspoon Turmeric
50grms Chopped Kidney or Liver
1 Teaspoon Each Garlic & Ginger Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Thyme and Rosemary Each
Shrimps
Chopped Red & Green Pepper
Chopped White & Green (Spring) Onion
Veggie Mix - Green Peas, Chopped Carrot & Sweet Corn
Seasoning Cubes or Spice Mix
3 Tablespoons Olive or Vegetable Oil
Salt & Pepper
Bring rice to boil on medium heat just until the rice has absorbed all the water. Do not drown your rice, see pic below for water to rice ratio. You can also cook the rice in store bought chicken stock but it is not my preference because of the astronomically high sodium level. You really can infuse all the flavor you need in the latter part of the cooking stage.
While the rice cooks, chop everything that needs to be chopped and set aside.
When your rice is cooked ( about 10-12 minutes), use a fork to fluff up your rice. Do not use a spoon and please do not use a turning motion as as not to mash up the hot soft rice.
Transfer the rice to the refrigerator or even freezer if you want a quicker cool time. This also completely stops the coking process and seals up the individual grains, retaining the "integrity" of the rice.
In a large pan or wok, add oil and bring to medium-high heat. Stir fry kidney/liver until brown and tender. I always season my meats before cooking...
Turn the heat down and add shrimps, garlic, ginger, thyme, rosemary and a pinch of salt and continue to stir fry until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
Add the remaining vegetables and turmeric. Continue to stir fry for another 2 minutes until veggies are cooked al dente (cooked but with still some firmness).
Ps. If you find this anywhere, grab it. Matter of fact, grab 2!
Add rice and very carefully mix until evenly distributed. Taste and season some more as needed.
...and there you have it, rockin' Basmati Fried Rice!
