We Bengalis love Chinese food, rather- Kolkata Chinese food. It’s different and for us, any other Chinese food isn’t the real deal. Back in the 80s and 90s, when there was a boom of Chinese restaurants in Kolkata, not everyone could afford to go to a restaurant and eat Chinese food. Fried rice became one of the most popular food and comfort food too. Bengali fried rice, on the other hand, is a Bengali polao but cooked with carrots and beans, like Chinese fried rice. 

If you love fried rice then you can check out this Burnt Garlic fried rice recipe here

Bengali fried rice came in handy to all the mothers when there were lesser options for restaurant food. Soon it got adopted by the caterers and there isn’t a wedding menu in Bengal without Bengali fried rice- often pronounced as ‘farried rice’. The caterers stick to carrots and beans, however, you can go ahead and use seasonal vegetables like green peas and cauliflowers too. Having said that, there will be many who will warn you against cauliflower, since it has a strong flavour. Well, I don’t mind it at all, in fact, I love the addition of cauliflowers to my fried rice. 

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Bengali fried rice is the same as a vegetable pulao, only with a different name

We simply refer to this rich and delectable vegetable pulao as fried rice because of our passion for Chinese cuisine. It is generally served with kosha mangsho, niramish alur dom, or a phulkopir roast at weddings or other occasions. There are many more kinds of pulaos in Bengali cuisine, basanti polao being the most famous one. Basanti pulao is yellow in colour but this vegetable fried rice is white in colour with the addition of beautiful seasonal vegetables. The cooking technique varies as well. In the case of a basanti pulao, we cook the raw rice with the spices in the pan. Whereas here, we half cook the rice and then toss it with vegetables, whole spices and ghee. Another major difference is the type of rice used. We use gobindobhog for most of our pulaos but for fried rice, we prefer Basmati rice. 

How to make Bengali wedding-style fried rice?

Soak long-grain basmati rice in water for 30 minutes. Then wash the rice thoroughly and then cook it in a heavy-bottomed saucepan with enough water for the rice to double. The rice needs to be parboiled (up to 85 to 90 per cent). After that drain the water and spread the rice on a large tray for it to cool down. Heat ghee in a frying pan or kadai, and add whole garam masala and bay leaf. Stir them for a couple of seconds and add cashews. Keep the heat at a minimum or else cashews burn quickly. Add chopped carrots, chopped cauliflowers and chopped beans (cut diagonally). Add a little salt and raisins and a handful of green peas. Keep frying these at medium heat till the vegetables have softened. If you are in a hurry, cook the vegetables in the microwave for 2- 3 minutes and then add them to the frying pan

Finally add the rice very gently, without breaking the grains. Sprinkle salt to taste, sugar and Bengali garam masala powder. Mix everything very gently over minimum heat or take it off the heat and mix if that is convenient. Then cover and let it cook in steam for 5-8 minutes or until the rice has fully cooked. For exact measurements, please check out the recipe in detail below. 

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Bengali Fried Rice | Bengali Vegetable Pulao

This is rich and delicious fried rice with vegetables that is very popular in Bengali weddings and celebrations.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Main Course, Rice Based Recipes, Vegetarian
Cuisine Bengali
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup long grain basmati rice
  • ½ cup ghee
  • 3 nos tej patta dried bayleaf
  • 1 inch cinnamon stick
  • 4 nos green cardamom
  • 5 nos cloves
  • ¾ cup cashews
  • ½ cup golden raisins
  • ½ cup chopped carrots cut diagonally
  • ½ cup chopped beans cut diagonally
  • ½ cup green peas
  • cup small cauliflower florets optional
  • 1 ½ tsp sugar
  • salt to taste
  • ½ tsp Bengali garam masala powder

Instructions
 

  • Soak 1 cup of long-grain basmati rice in water for 30 minutes. Then wash the rice thoroughly and then cook it in a heavy-bottomed saucepan with enough water for the rice to double.
  • The rice needs to be parboiled (up to 85 to 90 per cent). After that, drain the water and spread the rice on a large tray for it to cool down.
  • Heat ghee in a frying pan or kadai, add bayleaf, cinnamon stick, green cardamoms and cloves.
  • Stir them for a couple of seconds and add the cashews.
  • Keep the heat at a minimum or else cashews burn quickly. Add chopped carrots, chopped cauliflowers and chopped beans (cut diagonally)
  • Add a little salt and add half a cup of raisins and a handful of green peas.
  • Keep frying these at medium heat till the vegetables have softened. If you are in a hurry, cook the vegetables in the microwave for 2- 3 minutes and then add them to the frying pan
  • Finally add the rice very gently, without breaking the grains. Sprinkle salt to taste, sugar and Bengali garam masala.
  • Mix everything very gently over minimum heat or take it off the heat and mix if that is convenient. Then cover and let it cook in steam for 5-8 minutes or until the rice has fully cooked
  • Serve it with kosha mangsho or phulkopir roast and enjoy.
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