Fried Rice – How To Cook It The Guyanese Way!

Fried rice is a popular rice dish in Guyana and across the world. Rice is stir-fried in a pan and mixed with a medley of ingredients like vegetables, eggs, meat or seafood. Fried Rice can be eaten alone, or it can serve as an accompaniment to other dishes. Fried Rice is typically made with leftover rice among other ingredients, causing the dish to have many different recipes and variants.

This dish originated in China and was developed during the Sui Dynasty in China. The Chinese who came to Guyana introduced this beloved dish to the people – they sell it at their fast-food restaurants. However, many Guyanese have taken this Chinese dish and turned it into their very own by adding various local spices and vegetables. This article will show you how to cook the fried rice Guyanese style.

Fried Rice – Photo By I, BrokenSphere, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3470206

About Fried Rice

Fried Rice is a common dish in Asian cuisine, particularly East Asian, Southeast Asian. In these places, you will find vendors specializing in the dish. Even in Indonesian cities, fried rice street vendors are a common thing. Many of who would offer a wide variety of additional garnishes like vegetables or even side dishes.

In Guyana, Chinese fried rice is sold at any Chinese restaurant. However, the local fried rice is sold at local shops and restaurants – this fried rice is what we call the Guyanese fried rice. This is a favourite go-to dish when cooking for a large crowd, especially family gatherings. Fried rice and chow mein are a must-have at most West Indian events. It feeds many and goes a long way.  Fried rice is quite versatile as well; there are so many ways to change it up. You can use different vegetables and a combination of proteins depending on what you have on hand.

Cooking Fried Rice Guyanese Style

Ingredients For Rice:

• 2 cups white rice
• 2 lb chicken, cut
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 tin corn (1 can)
• bora, cut
• 1 onion
• 3 stems eschalot
• 2 sprigs celery
• 1 sweet pepper, chopped
• Fried Rice seasoning
• Black pepper and salt
• Chinese sauce
• garlic powder
• ginger powder
• butter
• oil

Method:

1. Wash chicken and season with eschalot, garlic powder and ginger powder. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan and melt butter.
3. Add celery, eschalot, onions.
4. Add rice and sautee.
5. After a few minutes, cover with water and cook for about 15-20 minutes.
6. Heat oil in a pan and cook chicken.
7. In a separate pan, saute bora, carrots, pepper.
8. When rice is done remove and strain.
9. Mix in a bit of butter to ensure the rice does not stick together.
10. Add chicken and vegetables, mixing all the time.
11. Add Chinese sauce and stir.
12. Sprinkle salt, black pepper and Fried Rice seasoning.
13. Add corn and mix.
14. Allow to cool and enjoy your homemade Guyanese Fried Rice.

Tips:

• Basmati or Jasmine rice can be used, however, it is not the typical Guyanese-style.

Fried Rice In Guyana

Definitely, fried rice is a cherished dish in Guyana. Many who make it try to imitate the Chinese version but some are content and satisfied with their own version that they have mastered. You can make fried rice with shrimp, eggs, sausages, chicken, beef, pork or even liver and giblet. The choice is yours. You can add a variety of vegetables including bora, carrots, cabbage, peas, corn, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. Whatever you desire. So, follow the recipe and try to make your fried rice the Guyanese way!

Article References:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fried_rice
• https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Guyanese-Fried-Rice
• https://www.realniceguyana.com/recipes/chicken-fried-rice/

Last Updated: 2020-07-13