Chicken Fried Rice – Pakistani Style

Step 1: Prepare the Rice

Wash 2 cups of Basmati rice 5-6 times until the water runs clear. Soak the washed rice for 40 minutes. Boil water in a pot. Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the boiling water. Add the soaked rice to the boiling water and stir. Cover and boil the rice for 5 minutes until fully cooked. Strain the boiled rice to remove excess water. Transfer the strained rice to a separate large dish to cool down, spreading it out to prevent it from becoming too soft.

Step 2: Prepare the Eggs

Crack 4 eggs into a bowl. Add a little bit of salt, a little bit of ground black pepper, and a little bit of yellow food coloring (optional). Mix the eggs well. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Pour the beaten eggs into the hot oil and scramble them until cooked. Remove the cooked scrambled eggs into a separate bowl and set aside for later use.

Step 3: Prepare the Chicken and Vegetables

Cut 1/2 kg of boneless chicken into long strips. Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a wok or large pan. Add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic and cook until it turns light pink. Add the cut chicken strips and cook on high heat until the chicken changes color. Cook the chicken for 5 minutes on high heat. Add 1 bowl of finely chopped carrots and mix. Add a splash of water to help cook the carrots and chicken, then cover and cook briefly. Add 1 bowl of chopped cabbage and mix. Add the chopped white parts of the green onions. Add 1 bowl of chopped green bell peppers. Add 1 bowl each of chopped red and yellow bell peppers (optional). Add 1/2 tablespoon of salt and 1/2 tablespoon of ground black pepper. Add 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of hot chili sauce, 1/2 tablespoon of oyster sauce, and 1/2 tablespoon of vinegar. Mix all the vegetables and chicken thoroughly. Cook on high heat without covering. Once the vegetables and chicken are cooked, remove half of the mixture into a separate bowl.

Step 4: Assemble and Finish the Fried Rice

In the wok with the remaining chicken and vegetables, add a layer of boiled rice. Sprinkle chopped green parts of green onions over the rice. Add the half portion of cooked chicken and vegetables that was set aside. Add the cooked scrambled eggs. Add another layer of boiled rice. Add the remaining cooked chicken, vegetables, and eggs. Add the remaining boiled rice on top. Drizzle dark soy sauce and hot chili sauce over the top. Add the remaining cooked scrambled eggs and chopped green onions. Gently mix all the ingredients in the wok. Add a little more ground black pepper and a little salt to taste. Cover the wok and cook on low heat for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, uncover and gently mix the fried rice. Turn off the heat and leave the fried rice uncovered for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, cover the fried rice. Serve the chicken fried rice hot.

• Wash Basmati rice 5-6 times until the water runs clear to ensure a fluffy texture.

• After boiling, spread the rice on a separate dish to cool down to prevent it from becoming too soft.

• Cook chicken and vegetables on high heat to maintain their crispness and vibrant color.

• Adjust the amount of salt as soy sauce and oyster sauce already contain sodium.

• If you are vegetarian, omit chicken and eggs, and focus on the vegetables and sauces.

• If using Sella rice, soak it for 2 hours instead of 40 minutes.

• Yellow food coloring for eggs is optional; you can skip it if preferred.

• Red and yellow bell peppers are optional additions for extra color and flavor.

• For an enhanced umami flavor, you can add chicken powder or MSG, though it's not used in this recipe.

• For a vegetarian version, simply omit the chicken and eggs.