Schezwan Fried Rice

Before you start

• Cook the rice a day ahead, spread it on a tray and refrigerate uncovered. Fresh warm rice turns to porridge in the pan.
• Soak the dried chillies in hot water for 20 minutes before grinding, or the paste stays gritty.
• The schezwan paste can be made up to a fortnight ahead and kept in a jar under a film of oil.
• Separate the cold rice grains with wet fingers before it goes anywhere near heat.

Method

1. Drain the soaked chillies and grind them with 10 garlic cloves, the ginger and 60ml water to a coarse red paste.
2. Heat 4 tbsp oil, add the paste and cook on a low flame for 8 minutes, stirring, until it darkens and oil beads at the edges.This slow fry is the difference between schezwan sauce and raw chilli. Stop when the oil separates, not before.
3. Stir in the crushed schezwan pepper, 1 tbsp vinegar, the sugar and 1/2 tsp salt, cook 1 minute more, then set the paste aside.
4. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a kadhai on the highest flame until it smokes faintly.
5. Add the remaining 5 chopped garlic cloves and the spring onion whites and stir 30 seconds.
6. Add the onion, carrot, cabbage and capsicum and toss hard for 3 minutes. They should char slightly and stay crisp.
7. Stir in 3 to 4 tbsp of the schezwan paste and fry 1 minute, until it coats the vegetables and smells toasted.Start with 3 tbsp. You can always add more; you cannot take the heat back out.
8. Tip in the cold rice, break up any clumps against the pan, and toss for 3 minutes so every grain takes colour.Use a flat spatula and a folding motion. Stirring in circles mashes the grains.
9. Add the soy sauce and remaining 1/2 tbsp vinegar down the side of the pan, toss 1 minute, and check the salt.
10. Fold through the spring onion greens and serve, with the extra paste on the table.

Storage

Keeps 2 days refrigerated. Reheat in a hot pan, not a microwave. The schezwan paste keeps 2 weeks in the fridge in a sealed jar.