Stir Fried Brown Rice

There is a saying in Bengali culture, which goes as " mach'e bhat'e bangali" a.k.a "fish and rice is what it takes to be a Bengali". So when you are born a Bengali, you can never escape rice in your meals. Some even go for rice even in breakfasts. My husband loves to have ghee - bhat (hot rice with clarified butter) in his breakfast with some mashed potato. My sister loves that too. Well...I also sometimes indulge in it too. And I think this is the reason, Bengalis are so chubby..normally.:)

But when you are in diet and trying to loose some weight...rice is the first and foremost thing that you should eliminate from all your meals. Its high in carbs and that is something you must avoid.

So in my case, when I undertook an exhausting diet chart to loose the excess fat, the first thing I did was, I gave up rice. But on Sundays, I go for the brown rice. Brown rice is healthy and I don't have to worry for the excess carb and fat. This Stir fried brown rice is tasty healthy and full of vegetables. You can make this stir fry with left over rice as well, and it will make a lovely lovely lunchbox menu.

Stir Fried Brown Rice
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown rice
• 1/2 carrot - finely chopped
• 1 capsicum - sliced and then halved
• 1 medium onion - thinly sliced
• 6-7 French beans - cross cut and chopped
• 1/2 cup cabbage - shredded
• 2 green chilies - chopped
• 1/4 cup green peas - boiled
• 3-4 spring onion - chopped
• 6-7 cubes of paneer or Indian cottage cheese- fried
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp white oil
• 1 tbsp garlic paste
• a handful of coriander leaves - chopped
• salt
• crushed black peppercorns

Method:

• Wash the rice with water until clean water comes out of it. Drain and soak the rice in water for about 15 minutes.
• Boil and cook the rice.
• In a pan heat up white oil and add the garlic paste.
• When the garlic starts to brown add the sliced onions and sauté till the edges start to become golden.
• Then add the sliced and halved capsicums, shredded cabbage, chopped beans and chopped carrot.
• Sauté on high flame for 2-3 minutes. 
• Add the green chilies, boiled green peas, salt and pepper.
• Mix evenly and put the entire mixture in a seperate bowl.
• In the same pan heat up the sesame oil.
• Add the cooked rice.
• Stir in rice smoothly so that they get evenly coated with the sesame oil.
• Now add the sautéd vegetables and mix everything properly, without mashing the rice or turning everything into "khichri".
• Now add the paneer, chopped coriander leaves, chopped spring onions. 
• Cover them slightly with rice and put cover.
• Put off the flame and serve hot with some chilled boondi ka raita.