The Burnt Garlic Fried Rice recipe is a popular Indian Chinese dish made with basmati rice, vegetables, soy sauce, and lots of garlic. It can be prepared in just 20 minutes and enjoyed for a weeknight lunch or dinner.
A plate of rice is always comforting and satisfying. It goes well with any Indian curries, chutney, or veggies, making every meal feel complete. Don’t you agree?
No matter how much we plan, leftover rice is sometimes inevitable—but the good news is, there are plenty of delicious ways to repurpose it! From classic vegetable fried rice and soft rice idlis to crispy rice cutlets, there are so many creative dishes to try.
Also, check out my 12+ Indian Leftover Rice Recipes for more ideas!
So, Today, I am sharing another delicious fried rice dish, called burnt garlic fried rice. This quick, easy, and straightforward Indo-Chinese dish uses leftover rice combined with vegetables, Asian sauces, and seasonings before finishing with burnt garlic's pungent flavor.
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Ingredients
- Cooked Rice: Use long-grain rice like basmati rice or jasmine rice for the best texture and flavor. If you make the rice fresh, cool it first and then refrigerate it to get extra-firm rice. For best results, use cold pre-cooked rice (leftover rice) as it will hold up the shape while stir-frying.
- Garlic: Use freshly chopped garlic for the best flavor.
- Spring Onions: You will need both white and green parts of the spring onions. I like to use green onion to garnish the garlic fried rice. You can also use scallions.
- Vegetables: I used carrots, green beans, bell pepper, and broccoli in this recipe, but you can also add other veggies like mushrooms and sweet corn.
- Soy sauce: I used light Soy sauce. If gluten-free, you can use Tamari or coconut aminos.
- Vinegar: I like to add rice vinegar (or white vinegar), as it adds a slight tang to the rice and elevates the flavors.
- Sesame oil: Toasted Sesame oil adds a great nutty flavor to the dish. You can also use olive oil or any cooking oil of your choice.
- Seasonings: Salt and freshly crushed black pepper.
How to Make Burnt Garlic Vegetable Fried Rice
Prep:
Cook 1 cup of basmati rice and let it cool completely. Learn how to cook Basmati rice in Instant Pot. You can keep the cooked rice in the refrigerator to get extra-firm rice if you prefer. You can also use leftover rice for this recipe.
Also, chop the vegetables and keep them ready.
Stir Fry:
Heat 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic and stir fry till the garlic turns crispy and golden.
Remove one to two teaspoons of stir-fried garlic for garnish at the end.
Then add ¼ cup white spring onions (finely chopped), 1 green chili (chopped), and saute on high, for about a minute till onions are slightly soft.
Add 1.5-2 cups diced mixed vegetables (beans, carrot, broccoli, capsicum) and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes on high heat till they are tender and crisp. Do not overcook the veggies.
Add cooked rice, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon vinegar, salt, and ground black pepper. Gently toss the rice and stir-fry until heated through. Adding vinegar is optional; you can skip it.
Finally, garnish with 2-3 tablespoons spring onion greens and reserved fried garlic. Serve Indian-style burnt garlic fried rice hot with a side of gobi manchurian.
Serving Suggestions
Burnt Garlic Fried Rice can be eaten on its own; it is so flavorful. Pair it with an Indian-Chinese side dish like gobi manchurian and sweet corn soup for a complete meal.
Tips
- Use cold, pre-cooked (or a day older) rice, It holds up the shape and is perfect for homemade fried rice.
- Do not brown or burn the garlic, it will taste bitter.
- Always stir-fry the vegetables on high heat.
Variations
- Protein: Add ½ cup of crumbled or cubed paneer (cottage cheese), scrambled tofu, or eggs for protein.
- Spicy: Add sriracha, schezwan sauce, or red pepper flakes for extra heat.
- Oil: You can also use avocado oil or olive oil for this recipe.
- Vegetables: You can also add broccoli, edamame, and shredded cabbage.
- Rice: You can either use cooked basmati rice, jasmine rice, or sona masuri for this recipe. Rice to water ratio will vary for each rice type while cooking in the Instant Pot pressure cooker. For example, for Basmati (1 rice: 1 ½ water), sona masuri short grain (1:1 ¾), and jasmine rice (1:1 ¼).
How to Make Ahead and Store?
- Make ahead: You can cook the plain rice in a pressure cooker or stovetop, prep the veggies, and store them in separate containers the day before.
- Store: Leftover garlic fried rice will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let it cool completely, and then store it in an airtight container.
- Reheat: Sprinkle some water and reheat the fried rice in a wok or skillet on medium heat, stirring occasionally. You can also microwave it for a few seconds until it warms through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Long-grain white rice, like basmati rice and jasmine rice, works well for fried rice. They hold up their shape and are great for stir fry. I do not recommend using sushi rice, risotto rice, or paella rice.
You can also add the following vegetables
- Sweet corn
- Shredded Cabbage
- Green Peas
Yes, this fried rice is vegan. Substitute soy sauce with Tamari or Coconut Aminos to make gluten-free fried rice.
More Indo-Chinese Recipes
Burnt Garlic Vegetable Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 cup uncooked basmati rice ( about 3 cups cooked rice)
- 8-10 cloves garlic (about 2 tablespoons), chopped
- ¼ cup spring white onions finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons celery optional
- 1 green chili finely chopped
- 1.5-2 cups vegetables (beans, carrot, broccoli, capsicum) finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar (white vinegar), optional
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2-3 tablespoons spring onions for garnish
Instructions
Prep:
- Cook the basmati rice and let it cool completely. Learn how to cook Basmati rice in Instant Pot. You can keep the cooked rice in the refrigerator to get extra-firm rice if you prefer. You can also use leftover rice for this recipe.Also, chop the vegetables and keep them ready.
Stir Fry:
- Heat 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add finely chopped garlic and stir fry till the garlic turns crispy and golden.
- Remove one to two teaspoons of stir-fried garlic for garnish at the end.
- Then add white spring onions, green chili, and saute on high, for about a minute till onions are slightly soft.
- Add the vegetables and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes on high heat till they are tender and crisp. Do not overcook the veggies.
- Add the cooked rice, soy sauce, vinegar, salt, and ground black pepper. Gently toss the rice and stir-fry until heated through. Adding vinegar is optional, you can skip it.
- Finally, garnish with spring onion greens and reserved fried garlic. Serve garlic rice hot with a side of Gobi Manchurian.
Nutrition
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