SCHEZWAN FRIED RICE(SOYA CHUNKS)

Schezwan fried rice is an Indo Chinese recipe and is similar to Chinese Fried Rice. Schezwan Sauce imparts a lovely flavour to this dish. 

Well, I had this dish a couple of years ago at a Chinese Restaurant near our house, where they served amazing Indo Chinese food. It was our monthly haunt and their flavours were so rustic.  I loved their Phad Thai Noodles and can still remember the flavour when I think of it. But for some reason, this jaunt shutdown and we( my daughter and I) were so disappointed. This is what prompted me to learn this recipe.

Well for years I made it using store-bought Schezwan sauce and one day I  thought why not give the Sauce a try. Well, it turned out so amazing and it's the simplest thing to make. Once you taste this you'll never go back to the store ones again.

What's more, this Schezwan Sauce(for recipe click here) can be used for stir fry vegetables too. I have used Chinese five-spice powder, which I made at home too. So this dish is an out and out "from the scratch" dish.

I have used regular rice and not Basmathi. I feel that Chinese flavours and Basmathi do not go well. Instead of regular rice Jasmine rice can be used too. In this recipe I have used Soya chunks majorly and little vegetables. Soya bean is high in fibre and protein. In all, it makes this dish a"meal in a bowl" sort where you don't need to make anything else to go with. If the Schezwan Sauce is ready this dish can get done in 15 minutes excluding the rice cooking time.

On a lazy day, this is a good option as once the rice is cooked(which you can put in a cooker for 3 whistles if using pot in pot method or separately too), just stir fry the veggies, is the sauce and add the rice and it's done. The Schezwan sauce once made stays good for 10 to 12 days in a refrigerator, so can be made ahead.

This dish can also be given to kids in the lunch box, and please be sure to send more and all other kids at school are going to demand some😋. 

While you are here please check out my rice other recipes like Masala Rice, Flavoured Rice, Coconut Rice, Coriander rice, Lemon Rice etc;

Here is the recipe of Schezwan Soya chunks fried rice:

PREP TIME: 15Mins                                      COOK TIME: 15 Mins

TOTAL TIME: 30Mins                                     COURSE:  MAIN

CUISINE:  FUSION                                         SERVINGS: 5

AUTHOR: Rajni Ram

Ingredients:   

Rice 1 cup

Soya chunks 100 gm or around 15 pcs

carrot 1/2 of 1 whole finely chopped

Spring onions 1/2 of 1 bunch(onions included) finely chopped

Beans 5 finely chopped

Capsicum 1/2 of 1 whole finely chopped.

Ginger Garlic paste 1 tsp ( or crush fresh ones)

Schezwan sauce 1.5 tbsp

Oil for Sauteeing. Sesame oil/refined oil

Directions:

Pre-cook the rice. The rice should be nicely done but grainy. So as I say in all my rice recipes, cook and spread out the rice, drizzle some oil over it.

Take water in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Once the water starts boiling put off the flame and drop the Soya chunks in it and cover for 3 mins. The water should cover all the chunks. After 3 minutes drain the water and cool the soya chunks. Once they cool rinse them in cold water and squeeze out the water. Repeat this process 3 times to remove all processed impurities from the chunks, and set aside.

Now take oil in wok/karahi and heat. Increase the flame to high and drop in the spring onion and saute, after 30 seconds add the ginger garlic paste and fry for 30 seconds. Now add the capsicum and saute for a minute. Sauteing should be on high flame throughout. Now add the soya chunks into the Kadai after squeezing out any remaining water and saute well for 2 minutes. Add salt and put in the chopped carrots and beans and saute for a minute. Now put 1.5 tablespoons of the prepared Schezwan sauce into sauteed vegetable and mix well. Stir fry for 30 seconds. If you find the mixture to be very dry, add 1 tbsp of water and stir. Now add the pre-cooked rice little by little and mix well. Taste and adjust salt and spice. If sensitive to spice use only 1 tbsp of the sauce. Yummy Schezwan fried rice is ready. If using store-bought Sauce add 2 tablespoons. Enjoy the flavours...Bon Appetit.

Serving Suggestions: I served it with stir-fried vegetables in Schezwan sauce. You could do the same or serve it Vegetable Manchurian(gravy), Gobi Manchurian(gravy) or it is so good to have by itself too. It is convenient to pack ina lunch box too. 

STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:

1. Assemble all ingredients. Pre-cook the rice and cool. Make the Schezwan sauce(if making at home).

2. Take the Soya chunks in a vessel and pour hot water over them and keep covered for  3 minutes. After 3 minutes drain the water and pour cold water over the chunks and let stand until completely cooled. Once cooled squeeze out all water and pour fresh water again and nicely squeeze the water again. Repeat this process  2 to 3 times.

3.  Take oil in a wok/Karahi( I used Sesame oil as it gives a good flavouring) and heat. Add the Spring Onions and saute on high flame for 30 seconds. Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for another 30 seconds. Now add the Capsicum and saute for 1 minute. The flame should be on high throughout. Add the Soya chunks followed by salt and saute for a minute.

4. Add the chopped Carrot and Beans and saute for 2 minutes. Now add the Schezwan sauce and stir well. If the mixture is too dry add a tablespoon of water. Now put in the rice little by little and mix it well with the Sauce, such that the sauce evenly coats all the rice. Check for salt and spice and adjust. The delicious Soya Chunk Fried Rice is ready. 

NOTES:

1. While stir-frying vegetables the flame should always be high and one has to keep stirring constantly to enable even cooking. If cooked on a low flame the vegetable will release water and turn limp.  

2. If using the store-bought Sauce use 2 tbsp. If sensitive to spice use only 1 tbsp of the homemade Schezwan Sauce as the flavour is intense.

3. Follow the procedure for cooking and cleaning the Soya chunks as they irritate the stomach if not properly rinsed.

4. If using Schezwan Masala powder sprinkle it after sauteing all vegetables.

5. For the Schezwan sauce recipe click here.

Tried this recipe? Comment below, send a picture or send your version of it. I would love to hear from you.

Chinese Paratha

This recipe is one that has been sitting in my recipe book for the past 20 years. I made this as a young mother, with no success at making Veg Hakka noodles, as I did not understand what aldente meant. 

Over the years as my journey as a budding home cook begun, I mastered the Veg Hakka part, but yet hadn't tried the fusion recipe, until I started this blog and as I   was going through all my recipe collections( a manuscript from the days when digitalization was unknown) with my daughter, she said: "why not try this now"? and I gave in to the idea and don't regret it at all. That said, this fusion recipe is a Paratha(Indian bread) with stuffed Veg Hakka noodles. Let's get to the recipe right away.

   

PREP TIME: 15Mins                                COOK TIME: 40Mins+30mins(cooling)

TOTAL TIME: 1 hr 25 Mins                    COURSE:  MAIN 

CUISINE: FUSION                                  SERVINGS: 4

                                                                  AUTHOR: Rajni Ram     

Ingredients for paratha dough.

Wheat flour--3 cups

oil-- 1 tsp

salt--1 tsp

water for combining the dough.

Ingredients for the Veg Hakka Noodles:

Veg Hakka Noodles -- 1 packet

Onion- 1 medium-sized( can use spring onions too, finely chopped)  

Carrot --1 small grated coarsely

Capsicum- 1 finely chopped

Garlic- 5 cloves finely chopped

Green Chillies- 2 finely chopped

Tomato- 1 large finely chopped

Schezwan sauce 3 tsp

Tomato sauce 2 tsp

salt as per taste

Red chilli powder 1 tsp

Directions for Parathas:

Take the wheat flour in a deep dish or a large plate. Add salt and the oil. Mix well and add water little by little as you knead to form a stiff dough. The dough must be stiffer than the Chapati dough. If the dough is loose, add a little more flour and knead again. Form a ball of the dough. Apply a little oil to your palms and spread it on the dough. Cover and rest it for half an hour.

Directions for the Veg Hakka noodles:

Boil around 1.5 litres of water in a wide-mouthed vessel. As the water comes to a boil add the uncooked Hakka noodles( broken to small bits around a fingers length) and a tsp of salt and cook. The noodles must be cooked aldente meaning a little undone( this comes with some practise). Keep stirring so that you know when to switch off the heat. Remove a few strands of noodles from the pot and do the cook test, that is, use a spatula to cut the noodles. If it cuts through easily, put off the heat, drain water from the noodles immediately and rinse the noodles in plain water(room temperature) 2 to 3 times, and drain the water. apply a little oil to the noodles and let it cool a bit.

As the noodles cool off let's get the vegetables ready. In a wok or Karahi, take the oil and heat. Add the finely chopped garlic and green chillies and fry till you get a good garlicky aroma. Add the finely chopped onions, followed by the capsicum and saute well. Next, add in the grated carrots and cook for a minute. Now add the tomatoes followed by salt and red chilli powder and cook for a few minutes. Once the tomatoes turn mushy add both the sauces( you can mix them ahead in the said ratio) and cook until semi-dry. Add in the cooked Hakka noodles and mix well. Veg Hakka is ready. allow it to cool. This can be made ahead and kept.

Method to stuff the parathas:

Take the resting dough and divide it into 10 equal parts. If you want bigger parathas to divide into 8 portions. Take one ball, dust it with flour and roll out into a small circle. Fill it with the noodles stuffing and seal the ends nicely. Dust it with flour again place it on the counter and flatten it with your palm, so that the stuffing spreads evenly. Now roll it out with a light hand without applying pressure into a little thick circle. Put a girdle on the stove and heat it. Place the paratha on the girdle and cook it, apply a tsp of oil and flip it, apply another tsp oil, and cook both sides well, until you see small brown dots. Repeat for all the 10 balls. The Chinese Parathas are ready, Bon Appetit.  

STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:

1. Assemble all ingredients.

2. For Parathas, Take the flour in a deep dish or big plate. Add the salt and oil. Pour water little by little and start combining the flour. Don't use too much water as we want a tough but pliable dough. As you combine the flour knead it well. It has to be smooth. Smear a little oil on the dough, cover it and let it rest for half an hour.

2. For the Hakka noodles, boil water in a widemouthed vessel. Break the noodles into finger length pieces and keep ready. When water begins to boil, drop the noodles gently into the water add a little salt and let it cook.

3. Keep stirring as we don't want the noodles sticking together. Also, we have to cook it aldente( not cook it all the way through). Once done, drain the water and rinse the noodles in plain water(room temperature), smear little oil and let it cool.

4. Prepare the vegetable mixture by heating oil in a wok/ Karahi. Add finely cut garlic to the oil and the green chillies too. Fry nicely.

5. Add the finely chopped onions to this and saute. Add in the capsicum, cook for a minute and, add in the grated carrot. Cook for 2mins on low heat.

6. Add the tomatoes, salt, red chilli powder, and both sauces( i have combined them both in the said ratio) and cook until the mixture is semi-dry. 

7. Add the cooked noodles little at a time and combine well. Put off the stove and cool the filling.

8. To make the parathas, divide the dough into 10 equal parts. Take one ball from that and dust it with dry flour. Roll this into a small circle a little smaller than your palm. fill in the filling with a spoon, about 2 tbsp into each circle. bring the edges together and seal them.

9. Dust with flour again and roll it out into a bigger and thick circle. Put a girdle to heat and place the rolled out paratha on the girdle. smear oil on the side facing up and flip it. smear oil again after flipping and cook both sides until brown spots appear.

10. The Chinese Paratha is ready to serve with some raita.

NOTES:

1. I have used only a few vegetables here, you can add spring onion too, but it's better to not go over the top with vegetables here as rolling the Paratha may become tough.

2. The filling has to be quiet dry or else it will start oozing out of the bread while rolling.

3. Cooking the noodles as mentioned is better, as overcooked noodles will clam together, and rolling the Paratha will be difficult.

4. I have served the paratha with Raita and tomato ketchup and not pickle as most parathas, as this  Chinese Paratha being a fusion may not go with pickle. But if you prefer it that way, do go ahead as what the palate demands is what it should get.    

If you tried this recipe and liked it please comment below. Would love to hear from you.