Vegan lemongrass fried rice
Fragrant from lemongrass, it is unlike any other fried rice you have eaten!
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup uncooked jasmine rice about 2 cups cooked
- 4 cups bean sprouts about 2 cups when blanched or add one cup of extra vegetables instead.
- 2 cups vegetables of choice chopped
- 1½ tbsp lemongrass, finely chopped uses about two stalks
- 1½ tbsp finely chopped garlic about 4-5 big cloves
- 2 stalks green/spring onion use shallots or onions instead
- 4 tsp soy sauce, naturally brewed whenever possible adjust to suit your taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper powder/crushed
- ¼ tsp red chilli flakes or use fresh chillies
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp oil preferably one with a higher smoke point
Instructions
Cook rice
- It is best to prepare rice for fried rice in advance, so that it has enough time to cool down and come to room temperature. This ensures separate grains.
- Wash rice and cook using any method of your choice. If using Jasmine rice, the water to rice ratio is 1:1 for fried rice. Ensures separate grains in fried rice.
- Let the rice come down to room temperature or let it chill in the refrigerator.
Prepping lemongrass
- Cut off the tough part at the bottom and top of the stalk. Cut at the red lines shown in the picture.
- Peel the tough outermost layer and discard.
- Peel a few more tougher outer layers to reach the inner white core. Do not discard these scrap layers. They can be frozen and used in soups, masala chai etc.
- Slice the inner core very thinly. Then mince it fine. Alternatively, the slices can be minced in a chopper or food processor. NOTE: It is important to mince lemongrass finely as it can otherwise be tough to chew on.
Prepare bean sprouts, if using.
- Get water to a boil and add bean sprouts in.
- Let the sprouts blanch in water for 2 minutes.
- Strain and transfer the sprouts into cold water to stop further cooking.
Make fried rice
- Chop vegetables and herbs needed and keep them ready.
- Heat oil in a wok or a pan on medium-high heat.
- Add garlic, lemongrass, green onions(white part), fresh green chillies(if using) and saute until garlic and lemongrass slightly brown.
- Add the vegetables and salt and stir fry for a minute. Take care not to over cook the vegetables if you want them to be crunchy.
- Add black pepper powder and red chilli flakes.
- Add in the rice and break it up.
- Add soy sauce.
- Add the blanched bean sprouts if using.
- Add red pepper flakes and green part of spring/green onions.
- Mix everything well to incorporate.
- Taste and add more soy sauce or pepper flakes as needed.
Video
Notes
- I like to use a lot of vegetables in my fried rice. As you can see, for two cups of cooked rice I added 4 cups worth of vegetables and bean sprouts. Adjust salt and soy sauce depending on the amount of veggies you add.
- Please note that 1:1 ratio of water to rice applies only for Jasmine rice. Other kinds of rice may need more water.
- Tastes great on it's own or can be served with Lemongrass tofu like in the picture.