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Crispy Vegetable Golden Rice

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This rice is fragrant, loaded with colorful vegetables that add texture and crunch, and amazingly crispy! The rice is seasoned simplistically with garlic, ginger, and a touch of palm sugar. The vegetables soak up these aromatics as they are sautéed just until tender. Egg yolks give the rice a golden color, a glossy finish, and provide each grain the ideal separation and definition. The sweet notes of coconut oil infuse with the garlic and ginger and allow the rice to have a perfect browned caramelization. This rice pairs wonderfully with any protein or is simply fantastic on its own. Make it once, and it will be the only rice you crave!
overhead shot of a bowl of vegetable rice
vegetables: green onions, rice, peppers, ginger, zucchini, carrots and eggs

RINSING THE RICE: 

FIRST- WHY DO WE RINSE THE RICE? 

  • For this recipe, we rinse the rice to remove excess starch. By doing so, the finished product will be crispier, and each grain will be more defined. 
  • For recipes such as risotto, congee, or rice pudding, there is no need to rinse the rice because you want the excess starch to bind the grains together. 

HOW DO WE RINSE THE RICE?

  • Place the dried rice in a large mixing bowl and fill with water. 
  • Agitate the rice by stirring and swirling the water with your hands.
  • Because the rice is heavier than water, it will sink to the bottom of the bowl. 
  • After you agitate the rice, pour out the cloudy water without spilling the rice in the sink. Repeat this process 5-6 times until the water is no longer cloudy. 

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE PERFECT WATER TO RICE RATIO IS?

  • Generally, I use the “Asian knuckle” trick to figure out how much water to put in my rice. 
  • After your rice is thoroughly rinsed, place it in the rice cooker. 
  • Add water to the rice and fill it until your thumb rests on the top of the rice level, and the water should come to your knuckle. Generally, it is about 1 ½ inches of water past the level of the rice. 

USING EGG YOLKS TO HELP DEFINE EACH GRAIN OF YOUR RICE (GOLDEN RICE):

  • Egg yolks contain a large amount of fat, and this fat sticks to the rice grains and makes them glossy. This glossy coating allows each rice grain to hold its own shape and form when sautéed in the pan with the aromatics and the vegetables. 

COOKING THE EGG WHITES SEPARATELY:

  • The egg whites are cooked separately from the eggs. 
  • When I make this dish, I cook my egg whites first before anything else.
  • I coat the pan with coconut oil and then pour in the egg whites over moderate heat. 
  • I leave the egg whites in one large pancake, filling the pan, and season them with salt and pepper. 
  • When the edges start to become crispy, I flip the egg white pancake and cook on the second side for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute. 
  • I then slide the egg white pancake off the pan onto my cutting board and cut in into thin strips and then squares and add it to a large mixing bowl. 
  • I wipe the pan clean and then continue with the aromatics and some of the vegetables. 

AROMATICS:

  • The beauty of this rice is the seasoning is so simple, yet so fragrantly delicious!
  • The combination of minced garlic and ginger are the two most influential players in this recipe, and they are complemented by just a hint of sugar to season and balance out the rice. 

VEGETABLES:

  • This rice is fantastic because you can add any vegetables you have on hand. 
  • The trick is to cook the vegetables in the proper order and appropriate length of time depending on their body and structure. 
  • In this recipe, I start by sautéing the ginger, carrots, and Bell peppers. These vegetables need a longer time to cook than the next on the list. The ginger is added to give them flavor because it is more fibrous and will not burn as quickly as the garlic when added in the first admission. 

 TURNING GOLDEN RICE INTO CRISPY RICE:

  • When you order traditional fried rice at a Chinese restaurant, it is wonderfully flavorful and delicious, but it’s not typically crispy. 
  • I wanted to have all the flavor of golden rice but take it to the next level and give it a wonderful golden crust. 
  • The easiest way to do this is when you are finished sautéing all your aromatics, vegetables, and rice together, you will prepare a baking sheet a coat it with a few tablespoons of coconut oil.
  • Spread the rice in one even layer onto the coated sheet tray and then coat the top of the rice with an additional 2- 3 tablespoons of coconut oil.
  • Place your oven on high broil and place the rice tray on one of your oven’s top racks. 
  • Watch your rice (the broiler works fast) and wait about 1-3 minutes until your rice browns on top and has a wonderfully crispy finish.
  • Note: depending on your oven, you might have to rotate the pan every 30 seconds to achieve a uniform browning! 

Ingredients Are Below

Sushi (short grain) Rice: This kind of rice works the best for this recipe because it is chewy, and if appropriately rinsed, it still holds just enough starch to make a beautifully combined dish. 

Eggs: I like to use the most organic eggs or fresh farm eggs that I can find. This dish relies heavily on the egg yolks to coat the rice and the whites to add delicate flavor, so the best possible quality is advised. 

Ginger and Garlic: This combination adds the perfect amount of aromatics to permeate the rice to provide fantastic flavor and subtle heat. 

Carrots: I love using carrots in this recipe because they add the perfect amount of crunch. I like to sauté them just until they are cooked through but still hold a crunch. 

Bell Peppers: I had Bell peppers in my refrigerator, and again, I do not overcook them. They are the best when they too are sautéed lightly but still have texture when you bite into them. 

Summer Squash and Zucchini: These came straight from my favorite farm at the Farmer’s market and are so delicate and delicious, they can be enjoyed raw. Thus, I added these in at the very end of my sautéing to hold their shape and texture.

Scallions: I love using green onion for its color and delicacy. They add a nice sweet flavor when they are sautéed. 

Palm Sugar: I like to use coconut palm sugar as my sweetening agent. This sugar has both a low glycemic index and low fructose levels. It contains antioxidants, minerals, is unrefined, and contains no chemical breakdown alterations or artificial ingredients. It is pure and simple!

Salt: Using a high-quality Kosher salt is an absolute MUST for cooking! It will provide a better final product!

Coconut Oil: I use coconut oil in this recipe because it has a high smoking point and adds additional sweetness to the rice. I like to buy unrefined coconut oil that is less processed. 

ingredients for vegetable rice chopped on a wooden chopping board
cooked rice being spread onto a baking sheet
eggs separated
golden rice in a bowl
a bowl of vegetable rice with a spoon
close up of a spoonful of vegetable rice with a dish full in the background
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overhead shot of a bowl of vegetable rice

Crispy Vegetable Golden Rice

This golden rice is incredibly flavorful, brimming with colorful vegetables, and crisped to perfection! The seasoning is simple with garlic, ginger, and a touch of palm sugar, but the taste is outrageous! It is the kind of dish that is agreeable to all people and palates! Make it for a family dinner, soiree', or small gathering and see if you can scrounge up any leftovers
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Rice and Grains, Vegetable Sides, Vegetarian Mains
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 6 people
Calories 457 kcal

Ingredients
  

Golden Rice

  • 2 cups sushi short-grain rice
  • 3 large eggs, separated
  • 1- inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
  • 3 small carrots (or 1 full-sized), chopped into bite-sized cubes
  • 2 Bell peppers, chopped into bite-sized cubes
  • 3 mini- or 1 full-sized Summer squash, chopped into bite-sized cubes
  • 3 mini- or 1 full-sized zucchini, chopped into bite-sized cubes
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 scallions, minced
  • 2 tbsp palm sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 6 tbsp coconut oil
  • Salt to taste
  • Green onions sliced for garnish

Instructions
 

Golden Rice

  • Rinse the dry rice 4-5 times until the liquid is clear.
  • Cook the rice in a rice cooker with recommended water levels per your machine.
  • Line a sheet tray with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
  • Spread the cooked rice in one even layer on the sheet tray and place in the refrigerator until cooled, around 30 minutes (Rice can also be made a day ahead or overnight).
  • Place the cooled rice in a large mixing bowl and add the egg yolks. Mix thoroughly until all the rice is a golden yellow.
  • Heat a large sauté pan over moderate heat and coat with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil.
  • Add the egg whites and season with a sprinkling of salt. Cook for 1 minute on both sides until the egg is cooked through. Slide the whites onto your cutting board and rough chop.
  • Add the chopped egg whites to a large mixing bowl and reserve.
  • Wipe the sauté pan clean and place over moderate heat with 2 tablespoons of coconut oil.
  • Allow for the oil to shimmer and add the ginger, carrots, and peppers. Cook for 2 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.
  • Add the squash, zucchini, garlic, scallions, palm sugar, salt, and the golden rice and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, flipping the rice mixture several times to incorporate all vegetables.
  • Add the cooked rice/vegetable mixture to the large mixing bowl with the egg whites and combine.
  • Set your oven to high broil.
  • Lightly grease a baking sheet or line with a silicone mat.
  • Spread the rice mixture in one even layer onto the sheet tray.
  • Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the coconut oil over the top of the rice.
  • Place in the top portion of the oven and cook until the top is completely toasted and golden brown, about 1-2 minutes (depending on your oven).
  • Serve with sliced green onions on top if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 457kcalCarbohydrates: 67gProtein: 10gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 272mgPotassium: 813mgFiber: 6gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 6968IUVitamin C: 89mgCalcium: 74mgIron: 3mg
Keyword vegetable rice, vegetable rice recipe
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Sarah blair

Adding a generous dose of enthusiasm, excitement, and creativity to the culinary world, Sarah began her career at the French Culinary Institute in NYC. Sarah has worked for the past decade as a Culinary Producer and Food Stylist.

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