A Turnaround Dinner [Chicken Fried Rice]

A turnaround dinner??? Yes, when instead of 'Kichdi' you have a 'Chicken Fried Rice with Red Wine' served on a candle lit table', a turnaround dinner is in the making! After all, December brings in Romance in the air, why not get some of it to your dinner table :)

The story. One look at the refrigerator and I knew that it has to be Khichdi tonight. With 1/4th of capsicum, 3-4 mushroom cuts, 3-4 florets of cauliflower, 1 egg and 2 pieces of chicken in the refrigerator, neither could I make a veggie side nor a non-veg side! But, wait a minute ... 1/4th of capsicum, 3-4 mushroom cuts, 3-4 florets of cauliflower, 1 egg and 2 pieces of chicken? Enough, when all taken together, right?. And here I go ... making an interesting Chicken Fried Rice.

The Preparation
1. Steam rice for two people, the usual way
2. Cut the two chicken pieces into small bite sized cubes. It will be about a small bowl. Mix black pepper, red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt
3. In a pan, heat some oil and stir fry the chicken pieces for 3-4 minutes. Cover for 2 minutes and stir again. Add 1 tbsp of sriracha sauce. If you do not have this - add a spicy sauce that you may have at home. This is just to add spice to the chicken. Stir some more
4. At this point, add 1/2 a cup of red wine and stir again. Cover the pan for 2 more minutes. By now, the chicken will be done and will have absorbed all the flavors.
5. Take the fried chicken out of the wok
You get the point - you can serve this as an appetizer in a party by itself!
6. In the same oil, scramble the egg. When done, take out of the wok.
7. Take a deep bottomed wok, add 2 tbsp oil. Add some whole spices (3 cardamom, 3-4cloves, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1"cinnamon, 2 red chilly)
8. When the spices start spluttering, add finely chopped onions (1/2 onion) and 1 tsp ginger paste. Stir and mix nicely
9. When the onions start glazing, add the cut vegetables. Stir and cover for 2 minutes
10. Add 2 tsp 'Sriracha Sauce' and mix the vegetables nicely.
11. Mix the chicken pieces and scrambled eggs. Add some red pepper flakes and salt to the mixture in the wok. Stir some more
12. After 2 minutes, mix the steamed rice and stir nicely, mixing the rice to the vegetables and the chicken
13. Add 2 tsp of Ghee on top of the rice. This adds to the flavor of the recipe. Cover the lid of the wok and lower the flame. Keep it on heat for another 2-3 minutes.

The grand finale
Garnish the Fried Rice with some mint twigs. Pour yourselves some nice red wine and light a candle. You are all set for a romantic dinner :)