Fried rice- the bouillon/stock cube option..it pays to read labels!!

Fried rice- with bouillon/stock cube …a friend had asked for a few quick and easy recipes for those times when he does eat at home…he says he “doesn't mind the prep and the cleaning up after but can’t stand waiting for things to cook”...my first reaction to the request was “come and live with us, I promise three hot elaborate home cooked meals every day, just take care of the before and after!!” and my second reaction “but all the ones that I put up here are quick and easy”…three months down the line and AJ is back to nagging me again!!! J…so the next few posts are going to be of stuff he has asked for (this includes the Vegetable Fried Rice recently re-posted)…I think I got this one off the label of the stock cubes that I had bought and hence this title instead of “nagging AJ”…and AJ, that invitation still stands!! J

Fried rice- w/bouillon/stock cube

Ingredients:

• Cooked day old rice, 2 cups (if using freshly boiled rice, ensure it is only about 95% done, water is drained out and it has cooled completely)
• Garlic, finely chopped or minced, 1-2 cloves
• Fresh Green or Red chilies, finely chopped, 1-2
• Bouillon /Stock cube, any flavour of your choice, crumbled, 1
• Onions, finely chopped, ¼ cup
• Vegetables of your choice, finely chopped, 1 ½ cups veggies (I used sweet corn and green beans this time round – the options are endless celery, bell peppers, bean sprouts, green peas, carrots, mushrooms, leeks etc)
• Soy sauce, ½ tsp for every cup of rice (or less if you want a lighter colour)
• Salt, if needed (depending on the soy sauce and stock cube you are using, you most probably won’t need to add)
• Oil, 1 tbsp

Instructions:

Break up any large clumps of rice before you start cooking.

Heat a large wok on high heat for about a minute.

Swirl in the oil and heat till it starts to shimmer.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add in the garlic, chilies and onions and stir fry until fragrant.

Add in the crumbled stock cube and stir well.

Start adding your veggies from the hardest to the softest on 30 seconds to a minute interval. All vegetables should soften but still retain some crunch.

Add in the rice, soy sauce, salt and toss everything well together.

Stir and toss to mix until rice is well coated and heated through. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

And done!!