Indo Chinese Fried Rice (Basmati Fried Rice) Recipe
A flavorful Indo-Chinese style fried rice made with aged basmati rice, tender chicken pieces, fresh vegetables, and a savory homemade sauce. This recipe delivers a perfect balance of spice and umami, stir-fried to perfection for a satisfying and aromatic meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indo-Chinese
Ingredients
Rice Preparation
- 1 ¼ cup aged, long-grain basmati rice
- 7 cups water
- 1 tbsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 tsp distilled white vinegar or lemon juice
Sauce
- 1 ½-2 tsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp chili garlic sauce (Desi Style – National or Mitchell’s brand)
- 1/2 tsp all-purpose soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp sesame oil
Egg mixture
- 1 egg
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
Stir-fry ingredients
- 3 tbsp + 1 tsp neutral oil (such as avocado oil)
- 4 garlic cloves (finely chopped/crushed)
- 1/2 inch ginger (finely chopped/crushed)
- 6 oz chicken breast (cut into 1/3-inch thick mini bite-sized pieces)
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp chicken powder (bouillon cube, crumbled to powder) OR 2 tsp (9g) MSG (Ajinomoto)
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 ½ cups green cabbage (thinly sliced into 1-2” long strips or coleslaw mix)
- 1/2 cup frozen green peas (thawed)
- 1/2 cup large carrot (peeled and diced into 1/4” cubes or shredded)
- 2 green onions (stemmed and finely chopped, reserve some green parts for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the rice: Place a medium pot over high heat and bring 7 cups of water to a boil, covering the pot to speed up boiling. Add sea salt, oil, and vinegar or lemon juice and stir. Drain then add the basmati rice. When it comes to a boil again, cook for 10 minutes until the rice is tender but not mushy. Drain the rice in a large colander and fluff with a rice paddle to prevent clumping. Set aside.
- Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, mix together oyster sauce, chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Set aside.
- Whisk the egg: In another small bowl, whisk the egg with salt and black pepper until combined.
- Cook the egg: Heat 1 tsp of neutral oil in a large nonstick wok or pan over medium heat. Coat the pan evenly. Pour in the whisked egg and spread it evenly. Let it set for about 30 seconds until lightly golden. Flip and cook the other side for about 10 seconds until fully set. Remove from pan and cut into thin strips about ½” by 1”. Set aside.
- Stir-fry aromatics and chicken: In the same wok, add the remaining 3 tbsp oil. Add garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 10 seconds until aromatic. Add chicken pieces, increase heat to high, and season with soy sauce, chicken powder or MSG, black pepper, white pepper, and sea salt. Cook for 1-2 minutes until chicken turns from pink to white.
- Add vegetables: Add cabbage, peas, carrots, and green onions. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until vegetables are just tender but still retain crunch and vibrant color.
- Combine rice and sauce: Add the cooked rice and pour the prepared sauce over. Using two rubber spatulas or rice paddles, gently lift and toss to evenly distribute the rice and sauce without breaking the rice grains. Toss for about 1 minute until well combined. Turn off heat.
- Add egg and garnish: Add the cooked egg strips and reserved green onion parts. Toss gently to combine. Serve the Indo-Chinese fried rice hot alongside your favorite Indo-Chinese dishes.
Notes
- Using aged basmati rice is important to achieve fluffy fried rice that holds up during stir-frying.
- Boiling the rice fully before stir-frying is essential for the correct texture in this recipe.
- You may use coleslaw mix instead of thinly sliced green cabbage if preferred.
- The recipe calls for neutral oils like avocado oil to avoid overpowering flavors.
- Adjust chili garlic sauce amount to your spice preference.
- Chicken powder or MSG is used to enhance umami; omit if desired for sensitivities.
