Tofu Basil Fried Rice

Tofu basil Fried Rice in Marathi

Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 2 to 3 persons

Ingredients:
1 cup Jasmine Rice
3 tbsp Oil
3 to 4 Garlic cloves
2 Green chilies
1 tsp Soy sauce
1 tsp Tamarind Pulp
1 tsp Sugar
1/4 cup Bell pepper (sliced lengthwise)
1/4 cup Onion (sliced lengthwise)
1/2 to 3/4 cup Tofu (1 inch pieces)
3/4 cup Basil leaves
1 small Carrot (small cubes)
Salt to taste

Directions:
1) Wash Jasmine rice and drain the water. Bring 1 and 1/2 cups of water to boil. Add a dash of salt. Once water starts boiling, turn the heat to medium low and add washed rice. Cover and cook.
2) Squeeze the tofu slightly. Shallow fry over medium heat until light brown.
3) Crush garlic and green chilies together and make a coarse paste. Heat oil in a wok. Add crushed chili and saute for few seconds. Add carrot cubes and stir for around 30 seconds.
4) After 30 seconds, add bell pepper and Onion. Saute for only 10 seconds as we want onion and bell pepper nice and crisp. Add cooked rice, tamarind juice, sugar, soy sauce and little salt (if required). Mix nicely so that all the ingredients mingle together.
5) Once rice is mixed nicely, add basil leaves and shallow-fried tofu. Mix gently for few seconds and serve.

Tips:
1) We are adding tofu at the end to prevent it from crumbling.
2) Do not heat the rice for longer after adding basil leaves as they will become mushy.
3) To give a different flavor I have added tamarind juice. However, you can add half a teaspoon of white vinegar instead.
4) In Thai fried rice, fish sauce is used to give little tangy-sour taste. Non-vegetarian people can use fish-sauce instead of tamarind juice or vinegar.