Chef Pankaj Bhadouria Shares 3 Delicious Fried Rice Recipes to Try at Home

Fried rice is one of the most loved Indo-Chinese dishes across India. Interestingly, this popular comfort food traces its roots to Yangzhou, China, where it was first created using leftover rice. Many people often feel that restaurant-style fried rice — with its perfect smoky flavor and fluffy texture — is hard to recreate at home. But celebrity chef Pankaj Bhadouria has shared not one, but three easy recipes to make fried rice just like your favorite eatery. You can try them based on your preference — Veg Fried Rice, Egg Fried Rice, or Chicken Fried Rice.

1. Veg Fried Rice

How to cook the rice:
For 3–4 servings, take 2 cups of basmati rice, 6 cups of water, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of oil. Bring the water to a boil, add oil and soaked rice, and cook until 80–90% done. Drain and spread on a tray to cool completely — this helps the rice stay non-sticky.

Ingredients:

• Cooked and cooled rice

• 2 tbsp oil

• 1 tbsp each of finely chopped ginger and garlic

• 2 tbsp finely chopped onion

• 1 tbsp chopped green chilies

• ½ cup finely chopped vegetables (carrot, cabbage, beans, mushrooms, peas, baby corn, sweet corn, etc.)

• 1 tsp light soy sauce

• 1 tsp dark soy sauce

• 1 tsp vinegar

• A pinch of MSG (Ajinomoto)

• Salt and black pepper to taste

Method:
Heat oil in a pan until smoking. Add ginger, garlic, and green chilies, followed by onions. Sauté for 2–3 minutes. Add the vegetables and toss them over high flame to maintain their crunch. Add the rice, sauces, salt, pepper, and Ajinomoto. Mix everything well and serve hot, garnished with spring onion rings.

Note: To make chicken fried rice, simply add ½ cup of boiled chicken pieces to this recipe while tossing.

2. Egg Fried Rice

Ingredients:

• Pre-cooked and cooled rice

• 2 eggs

• 2 tbsp oil

• 1 tbsp each of chopped ginger, garlic, onion, and green chilies

• 1 tbsp light soy sauce

• 1 tbsp chili oil

• 1 tsp vinegar

• A pinch of Ajinomoto

• Salt, pepper, and chopped green onions for garnish

Method:
Heat oil in a wok until smoking. Add ginger, garlic, and green chilies, then sauté onions for about 2 minutes. Break eggs directly into the pan and scramble quickly on high heat. Add the cooked rice, sauces, salt, pepper, and Ajinomoto. Stir-fry for a few minutes until the rice is heated through. Garnish with chopped spring onions and serve immediately.

3. Chicken Fried Rice

For non-vegetarian lovers, chicken fried rice can be made effortlessly using the same method as the veg version. Just add ½ cup of boiled, lightly salted chicken pieces while tossing the rice in the wok. The result — perfectly smoky, protein-packed fried rice with restaurant-style flavor.