It was the year when my favorite TV show Masterchef Australia had made a debut. My all-time favorite contestant Poh had pushed my interest in South Asian foods to a whole new level. Following the recipes she created in Masterchef Australia (which are available on the official website) and also on her show Poh’s Kitchen, I learnt to recreate some of the flavors I had tasted in my brief stay in Singapore.

Among the few recipes that I had tried, the one I absolutely love and often cook till date is the Singaporean Chicken Fried Rice.

The beauty of this dish is in its inviting look, loaded with season’s best produce, nutritious, quick, super easy to cook and most importantly something that Pari absolutely loves.

Singaporean Chicken Fried Rice:

Servings: 6

Difficulty Level: Easy

Ingredients:

• Vegetable Oil – 3 tbsp
• Boneless Chicken – 250 g
• Onion – 1 large
• Bok Choy – 1 bunch ( if not available, use greens of Spring onions)
• Red Bell Pepper – 1 large
• Ginger – 3 tsp ( peeled & chopped finely)
• Garlic – 3 to 4 cloves
• Eggs – 2 large
• Garam Masala– 1.5 tsp
• Basmati Rice – 4 cups ( pre-cooked)
• Soy Sauce – 2 tbsp.

Method:

1. Heat 3 tsp of oil in a large, thick bottomed wok and heat over medium heat.

2. Fry the chopped onion for around 3 minutes (aiming at caramelizing and not browning it). Add Bok Choy/ Spring onion and stir fry for around 2 minutes till the leaves have wilted.

3. Add bell pepper, garlic and ginger. Stir fry until vegetables begin to soften. It takes around 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the stir fried vegetables in a bowl and set aside.

4. Return the wok to heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil. When the wok is hot, add the chopped chicken pieces and stir fry for 4 minutes or until cooked through. Always test before removing from flame. Remove chicken in the bowl with the vegetables.

5. Return woke to the stove, add 1 teaspoon of oil and scramble the eggs until just cooked. Add the scrambled eggs to the bowl with vegetables and Chicken.

6. Return the wok to the heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the garam masala powder and cook at medium heat for around 30 seconds, stirring well, until fragrant.

7. Add rice (leftover steamed rice can be put to great use here) and stir till they are evenly coated in the garam masala powder. Cook rice for the next 3 to 4 minutes till the rice at the bottom get a crunchy texture.

8. Return the vegetables, chicken and eggs back to the wok. Add soy sauce and stir fry for 3 minutes.

Serving Suggestion: Serve immediately. I enjoy adding a few drops of the Chili Oil
for an added punch. Avoid re-heating the fried rice to avoid losing the nutritional richness of the fresh vegetables used.

The whole idea of adding the garam masala is to add a spicy, aromatic punch to the subtle stir fry. This makes for a great comfort food and a fun way to use leftover rice in Singaporean style.

Tip: This is the Indianised version of the Singaporean Chicken Fried Rice. If you or your kids love a subtle sweetness, few cubes of pineapple can also be added to boost the natural sugar quotient.

Find other recipes ‘From My Kitchen’ here.