Sweet and Sour Vegetables with Egg Fried Rice

Yes! I know I have broken my promise. Said I would share the recipe on Saturday,but just couldn't bring myself to type so much. Blogging is so much more time-consuming hard work than the actually cooking. I just realised that although my blog is about food and cooking, many a times I find myself rushing through the morning with the cooking and other tasks in the kitchen just so that I can get more time to blog. But that's the funny part of it. Create more and more fast to cook recipes so you have maximum time left to blog about them and show off what you have created.

Anyway I think I have rambled enough and should now get down to the actual sharing of the recipe. These two dishes are most liked by me in my family because 1. they are really delicious and 2. they have a restaurant feel to them without having to toil too much over the hob. I have also managed to thoroughly convince my husband and son that although it is only rice and vegetables it is a very filling and satisfying combo. Gosh ! Have I started rambling again? So Sorry! I don't know what's come over me today.

OK first the rice:

You need:

11/2 C Brown Rice, (Use white rice if you prefer)

4 C water,

salt to season

2 eggs (scrambled),

3 spring onions chopped,

2 tblspns Soy Sauce,

1 to 2 tspn Chilly Sauce,

3 tblspn oil

Method:

Now brown rice is something completely new to me. I was basically experimenting with it for the first time. I cooked it in the microwave. In a MW proof container I put the rice with 4 C of hot water ,seasoned it with salt ,covered it and cooked it for 25 mins. After every mins I used open the MW and check to see whether it was done and give it a gentle stir. After 25 mins of cooking I was convinced that it was nicely cooked. I removed it and spread it out in a large plate to cool it down a bit and separate the grains.

While the rice is cooking scramble the eggs in a pan . Season with a tiny bit of salt and some pepper

In a wok heat the oil and saute half the chopped spring onions . Add the soy sauce and chilly sauce. Next add the rice and the scrambled eggs and give it a good toss. Check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper or any of the sauces if you like.

Before serving garnish with the remaining raw chopped spring onions .

For the Sweet and Sour Vegetables you need:

2 spring onions chopped , 4 cloves of garlic chopped finely 1/2 inch piece of ginger chopped , 2 small carrots, 3 to 4 baby corn, 5 to 6 button mushrooms diced, half a sweet pepper, 1/2 cup cauliflower florets, 1/2 cup green beans thinly sliced , 2 tspns Soy Sauce, 1 tspn chilly sauce , 1 tblspn brown vinegar, 3 tblspns tomato ketchup, 1 tspn sugar, 4 C water, 1&1/2 tblspn cornflour dissolved in a little water , salt and pepper to taste, 2 tblspn oil.

Method:

In a saucepan mix the soy sauce, chilly sauce ,vinegar, ketchup, sugar, and the 4 C of water. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a wok and fry the chopped garlic and ginger. Next fry the spring onions and all the other veggies for a few mins on high flame . Typical to Chinese cooking the vegetables should be cooked but still have a bite to them.

Now pour the mix of water and sauces into the wok and bring to a boil. After it begins to boil lower the heat and simmer for 10 mins. At this stage add the cornflour dissolved in water. Add the salt and give it a taste. Adjust all sauces as per your taste. The sauce should be slightly thick have a nice sweet and tangy taste .

When serving garnish with chopped spring onions and serve piping hot with the fried rice. Its a delicious and healthy light supper .