Pepper Rice with Vegetables - Madagascar Pink Rice

If you order a plate of fried rice in India in a Chinese or any other restaurant it will be vastly different from any of the Far Eastern or Chinese fried rice. The color of the rice is still white and the flavors are subtle. No fish sauce, not sure if there is much soy sauce either. There might be trace amount of some green chili sauce and lots of pepper.

There are lots of Indo Chinese dishes that make good pairings but if not it is relished simply with tomato ketchup! This was the theme I wanted to keep for cooking the Madagascar Pink Rice. I wanted to taste the rice rather than the seasonings that it is cooked with. It is a very aromatic and tasty rice all by itself. Also I was cooking with the rice for the first time so I did need fancy embellishments which will overpower the taste of the rice.

Cook the rice as per directions. Rice cooker works best if you want well cooked but separate grains.
Chop the onions and green chilies into thin rounds. Cut the carrots first diagonally.
Stack the sliced carrots and then cut them into strips. Diagonally cut the beans and slice the bell pepper into thin slices after removing the seeds and the inner white ribs.
Melt the butter and saute the onions and green chilies till they wilt.
Saute the vegetables till they are cooked but still crunchy. Add salt and pepper and the cooked rice and toss gently.

If you do not have Pink Rice any long grain rice would do.

Pepper Rice with Vegetables - Madagascar Pink Rice
Preparation Time:10 minutes
Cooking Time:25 minutes
Ingredients

1. 2 cups of Madagascar Pink Rice (or any long grain rice)
2. 2 green chilies sliced into thin rounds and shake the seeds out.
3. 1 cup each of carrots, beans and 1 bell pepper sliced into thin strips(French Cut)
4. 1 bunch of green onions ends cut off and sliced into rounds
5. 1/2 tbsp butter (for vegan version any light cooking oil)
6. 1/2 tbsp pepper powder or to taste
7. salt to taste
8. juice from 1/2 lime

Method

1. Cook the rice as per directions to fluffy and separate grains. Pink Rice required 1 3/4 cups of water for one cup of rice. When cooked set aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile heat a wide mouthed pan or wok and add the butter.
3. When hot add the chopped green chilies and green onions and saute till they are wilted about 3-4 minutes.
4. Now add the sliced vegetables and cook them till they are just about cooked but still crunchy. Mid way add salt. takes about 6-8 minutes on medium heat.
5. Add in the pepper powder and gently mix.
6. Now add in the cooked rice and gently mix it. Squeeze the lime juice and turn off the heat.

Serve with sliced boiled eggs and ketchup if needed.

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