Rice is a leading component of Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese dishes. He deservedly bears the title of a national food product in the Celestial Empire and far beyond its borders.
The role of rice is multifaceted and inexhaustible, therefore this article is devoted to the features of its preparation and popular recipes with a Chinese “flavor”.
Secrets of cooking the "right" rice from Chinese cooks
This is surprising, but rice recipes in Chinese cuisine are fundamentally different from those in Western and Eastern Europe. Representatives of the Asian nation eat rice chopsticks. Therefore, the Chinese variety is a little sticky, but each grain inside is dense.
Characteristics of Rice Species
The jasmine variety is grown in Thailand. It has an elongated shape snow-white color. His calling card is a subtle milky aroma that reveals the taste of exotic Chinese and spicy dishes in a new way. During the heat treatment, the grains will stick together a little, but this will not affect the taste.
Variety "indica" is recognized as universal. Its shape is elongated, its color is saturated white, while cooking the grains do not stick together. Suitable for a wide range of oriental dishes.
Rules for selecting dishes and preparing rice
For cooking white grains, the Chinese use heavy cauldrons of aluminum or cast iron. The rounded bottom contributes to an even distribution of heat and prevents burning.
There is an ancient recipe for making Chinese rice if the meal is delayed or guests are late. The cauldrons are placed on the minimum possible fire (no more than 45 minutes). If you leave the rice to cool, it will harden and turn into an inedible mass. Grains will not be heated and eaten with chopsticks.
According to Chinese tradition, rice is washed nine times. Speaking of proportions, it is customary to use one part of grains per 1.5 parts of water.
Rice with vegetables - traditional chinese lunch
Chinese rice recipes have gained serious popularity in our country thanks to spicy sauces, bold vegetable combinations and the generous use of spices.
Rice with long grains, the characteristic of which was presented above, or its brown variety (if you adhere to a diet) is perfect for vegetables.
Vegetables should be selected a little immature, overripe turn into porridge.
Recipe for rice with vegetables in Chinese can be mastered by any housewife. This dish is served on its own or as a side dish.
Main ingredients
This recipe is convenient in that rice can be combined with an unlimited number of ingredients. It all depends on the preferences and culinary talents of the cook. It will take no more than half an hour to prepare a meal, and a hearty, aromatic lunch will give a boost of energy and vigor for the remaining half of the day.
Prepare the following ingredients:
- rice - 300 grams;
- young zucchini - 200 grams;
- sweet red pepper - 250 grams;
- tomato - 5 pieces of medium size;
- onions - 4 pieces;
- soy sauce - 4 tablespoons;
- vegetable oil - 40 grams;
- ginger root - 1 tablespoon;
- garlic - 3 cloves.
How to cook a dish?
The basis for any successful Chinese rice recipe is the proper rice processing. The grains must be thoroughly washed in several waters until transparent. Pour 450 ml of water into the pan and turn on a strong fire. After boiling, add washed rice, mix, cover and cook for 15 minutes until cooked over low heat. Fold the finished cereal onto a fine sieve and rinse with cold water.
So that the vegetables retain their shape and acquire a characteristic crunch, they are thrown into a hot pan and, stirring constantly, fry for no more than a couple of minutes.
Onions must be cut in half rings, and garlic with small cubes as small as possible. Throw these two ingredients in a pan-heated oil and fry for 3 minutes.
At the zucchini, remove the peduncle, cut into strips of medium length. Peel sweet peppers from seeds, cut in half, chop into medium-sized cubes. Squash and pepper send to the onion. Fry over high heat for 4 minutes.
Wash the tomatoes, remove the peel, after dipping vegetables with boiling water. Cut into slices. Add to vegetables. Fry over high heat, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes.
Peel ginger, grate. Add to pan. At the same time as ginger, introduce soy sauce. Fry for 2 minutes.
Last rice is sent to the vegetables. Mix the dish carefully, reduce the heat to a minimum, cover and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Then remove the pan from the stove and let the grains soak in the juices and smells of other ingredients.
Below is a photo of rice in Chinese, one of the options for serving the finished dish.
Rice with egg is a great option for a quick nutritious breakfast.
However, a Chinese-style rice and egg recipe can be useful for lunch and dinner. But for breakfast this option is most preferable due to its nutritiousness and speed of preparation. With the proper organization of the process, from the collection of ingredients to a hot and hearty meal on the plates of family members it will take 10-15 minutes.
A separate advantage of rice with egg in the availability of ingredients is in the composition only that the average family can afford. If desired, each hostess can deviate from the classic recipe and introduce new components.
Traditionally, such a dish is prepared in a wok pan with a special conical design. For lack of such, the usual with a narrow and thin bottom will do.
Structure
Chinese-style rice recipe is suitable for those who monitor their diet and want to quickly satisfy their hunger. The main thing is to bring the rice to the correct consistency and remember the order in which the components are added:
- Rice - 150 grams.
- Canned corn - 4 tablespoons.
- Freshly frozen peas - 3 tablespoons.
- Chicken egg - 3 pieces.
- Butter - 25 grams.
- Chives, spices to taste.
Chinese rice with egg. Step by step recipe
Step 1. The basic requirement for rice is wholeness and friability. A sticky porridge will not work. Thoroughly washed cereals must be poured with large amounts of water, slightly salted and boiled over high heat until boiling. Reduce gas, mix, bring to a state of softness of the grains on the outside and moderate density inside. Turn off the fire, discard the rice on a sieve, rinse with cold water.
Ideal if the cereal is cooked in the evening. According to the cooking technology, it should be cold and slightly dried.
Step 2. Put oil in a pan, heat, beat eggs. Stir chaotically with a wooden spatula. Fry for 30 seconds, then mix again. It should be egg flakes.
Step 3. Corn and slightly thawed peas are sent to them. Fry for 2-3 minutes, stir constantly.
Step 4. Pour rice, salt. Add finely chopped onion feathers, ground black pepper. Mix. Leave on for 1 minute.
Step 5. Serve to the table.
Shrimp Fried Rice
A feature of the Chinese fried rice recipe is the addition of hot spices (garlic, chili sauce, etc.) and seasoning with fish broth. Typically, the dish is cooked with chicken, pork, crab meat or shrimp. Rice is used already boiled, dried (when cooking on a fire, you need to hold it longer than usual until all the water has evaporated). In order for the grains to turn out to be fried rather than resembling a heated pilaf, heat treatment should be carried out at maximum temperature.
The main components:
- Boiled rice - 300 grams.
- Fish broth (thick) - 2 tablespoons.
- Shrimp - 300 grams.
- Egg - 1 piece.
- Small cucumber - 1 piece.
- Lime - 1 piece.
- Green onion - 3 feathers.
- Chile - 0.5 pod ..
- Garlic - 1 large clove
- Soy sauce - 50 grams.
- Vegetable oil - 2 tablespoons.
- Cilantro, black pepper - to taste.
Cooking Guide
Heat the oil in a pan. Peel the garlic, crush it with a knife. Chill finely chopped. Throw the sharp ingredients into the pan, fry for 30 seconds.
Peel the shrimps, send them to oil, fry until cooked. If seafood has already undergone heat treatment, we temporarily set it aside.
Pour the finished rice, mix thoroughly. It was the turn of boiled shrimp. They go to the groats in the company of fish stock and soy sauce. Again it is necessary to interfere. Movements should be neat and slow. Otherwise, rice will turn into liquid porridge.
Add chopped cucumbers.
Free one side of the pan from rice and other ingredients. Break the egg there. Stir so that the mass is evenly distributed throughout the workpiece.
Finely chop the green onions and cilantro, sprinkle them abundantly with the dish. Add black ground pepper.
For a perfect Chinese rice recipe, serve the finished dish with a slice of lime.
Oriental Chicken Rice
Residents of the post-Soviet space, who were lucky enough to visit the Celestial Empire, note the exquisite taste of the dishes there and try to repeat them at home.
Chinese-style chicken rice recipe is special in every restaurant. And thanks to the availability of ingredients, it can be repeated at home. The main thing is to consider the features of rice processing:
- in Chinese cuisine there are no dishes even remotely similar to fat pilaf made from pork or lamb. Chicken and seafood are popular here, which make rice diet with a delicate, refined taste;
- in Eastern Europe, rice is usually cooked until cooked, in China it is left a little raw, and brought to the desired condition in a frying pan - so it turns out to be juicy and crumbly;
- seldom what Chinese dish does without adding soy sauce, with us its use is not so popular.
So, for cooking rice with chicken in the best Chinese traditions, you will need:
- Long rice - 2 glasses.
- Chicken fillet - 600-700 grams.
- Egg - 2 pieces.
- String beans - 250 grams.
- Bulgarian pepper - 1 piece.
- Green peas - 100 grams.
- Soy sauce - 50 milliliters.
- Vegetable oil - 2 tablespoons.
- Green onion - 4 feathers.
- Turmeric - 0.5 teaspoon.
Cooking rules
Boil chicken until tender, cut into small cubes. Boiled rice in nine waters, boil until half cooked, cool.
Pour oil into a deep pan, add boiled chicken, fry for 5-7 minutes. Put the browned pieces on a plate.
Put the green beans, peas and chopped bell peppers in the hot oil left over from the meat. Cook vegetables for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Fry eggs whipped in a separate frying pan (without oil). They should “grab” a little, but not turn into scrambled eggs. At the end of the process add chopped chives.
Combine the contents of two pans, add rice. Pour in soy sauce, sprinkle with turmeric. Stir fry for 10 minutes.