Pancetta Fried Rice

Today I will share my latest variety of fried rice that I cooked up just like that. Its the very famous Pancetta Fried Rice, but before listen to my ramblings. For the last two days I am having fever and all I can cook is boiled rice with potatoes. With some ghee, chopped onion and salt, they seem heavenly (not that I have gone to heaven...anytime before, but I like this phrase!!). Somewhere I read that fever is like the forgotten teen age lover...who comes back again and again. Is it so??? Who knows.

Yesterday when lying and resting became all too much tiring, finally I left the bedroom and watched "Open tee Bioscope". Its a Bengali movie based on the '90s Kolkata. The streets, the lingo...everything every person from that movie had a drastic familiarity with typical Bengali culture, nature, thinking and living. The most favorite part of the movie for me was not the story not the music....but the streets of North Kolkata. The decaying buildings, the small tea shops in a corner or at the turn of the street, the political slogans on the wall, the family gossips...all were so real. After that I watched Kadambari on youtube. The print was not so good but the audio was perfect. The movie is roughly based on the complex relationship between Rabindranath Tagore and his brother's wife, Kadambari.

I like to live on my own. It gives me time to discover many aspects of my nature, my hobbies, my passion and my work. Besides, I believe in simple relations not innumerable and complicated ones. If my husband and my cats, give me peace that I am required to live a normal life, then I need no one to unnecessarily fill up my life, as there are some voids born to live like that. They should always remain in that way. Because of my this nature, many calls me unsocial and also tells me that I am immature and childish, that I don't know how to mingle with people. But the fact is I detest that kind of nature and ramblings. I like to keep my company numbered, some friends who will understand me....with whom I will not have to wear any masks, with whom I don't have to lie to be good.....I am the way I am, and I love me, if you find me difficult and unsocial, the door to go away from my life is always open.

A few weeks ago I found a box of Panetta in the supermarket, and I made a fine spicy fried rice with those pancetta and scrambled eggs. It was really different and tasty!!! If you can't find pancetta then use roughly minced chicken with this dish. This pancetta fried rice is just too much perfect.

Pancetta and Egg Fried Rice
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cup rice (I have used Thai jasmine rice) - Leftover rice will do good too
• 1 cup pancetta (you can also use small bite size pieces of chicken in place of pancetta)
• 3 eggs
• 1 large onion - sliced
• 5-6 fat cloves of garlic - minced
• 1 inch stick of ginger - minced
• 1 medium carrot - chopped
• 1/2 cup green peas - boiled
• 1/2 cup sweet corn - boiled
• 2 red / green chilies - roughly chopped
• a few spring onion - chopped
• 2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp fish sauce (optional)
• 1 tsp garlic & chili sauce
• 1 tsp oyster sauce (optional)
• 1 and 1/2 tsp curry powder (I used turmeric, cumin and coriander to make my curry powder)
• salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp oil

Method:

• Cook the rice and drain the starch. Then put the rice into the fridge for 30 minutes. This will reduce the moisture level of the rice.
• In a cup put all the sauces according to their quantity and keep aside.
• Break and whisk the eggs to a smooth batter.
• Heat  1tbsp oil in a kadai / wok and pour in the whisked eggs.
• Add some salt and stir continuously to crate scrambled eggs. Once they are cooked, take them out of the kadai / wok and keep aside.
• Now in the same kadai / wok put in the pancetta. Sauté and cook for 2 minutes or until it is fully cooked. It has a lot of fat and salt in it, so we do not need additional salt and oil to cook it. Once it is cooked take it out of the wok and keep with the eggs.
• In the same kadai / wok heat the rest of the oil and add the minced garlic. Sauté for 1-2 minutes or until the raw flavor of the garlic is gone. Do not brown them completely.
• Now add the sliced onion and ginger and sauté for 3-5 minutes or until the onions become translucent and the edges start to brown.
• Now add the vegetables one by one, add a sprinkle of water and immediately put cover. Add a sprinkle of water, not more not less. The vapor will help to cook the vegetables quickly. Remember the put the flame on highest.
• We will not cook the vegetables fully. They should retain their color, texture as well as crunch.
• Now sprinkle some sugar, curry powder and mix everything.
• Next add the rice, cooked scrambled eggs, cooked pancetta and pour the already prepared mixed sauces.
• Mix everything carefully, not creating a mess.
• Stir and cook continuously for 30 seconds on high flame.
• Put off the flame. Add salt and the chopped spring onions. 
• Give a final mix and serve hot.