What is Schezwan Fried Rice?

Schezwan Fried Rice is an Indo-Chinese wok-fried rice dish where cold leftover basmati rice is tossed at high heat with Ching's Schezwan Chutney, soy sauce, scrambled egg, diced vegetables (capsicum, carrot, spring onion), garlic, and ginger. The Schezwan Chutney — a spicy condiment made from red chillies, Schezwan pepper, and garlic — gives the rice its distinctive reddish-brown colour, complex heat, and the tingling spiciness that defines Indo-Chinese food. It's the essential rice accompaniment to Chilli Paneer, Gobi Manchurian, and Chilli Chicken.

Why must you use cold rice for fried rice?

Hot freshly cooked rice has wet, active surface starch that causes grains to stick together into a gluey mass when tossed in a hot wok. Day-old refrigerated rice has dry surface starch — each grain is individually coated in a thin, dry film that CRISPS in hot oil instead of sticking. This is a physical property of starch, not a preference. Cold rice fries into separate, individual grains. Hot rice clumps into sticky mush. If same-day cooking is necessary, spread the cooked rice on a tray and refrigerate uncovered for minimum 2 hours.

What is Ching's Schezwan Chutney?

Ching's Schezwan Chutney is a ready-made Indo-Chinese condiment combining red chillies, Schezwan pepper (which creates a distinctive numbing-tingling sensation), garlic, soy, and vinegar in one jar. It's the single most important ingredient in Indo-Chinese home cooking — used in Schezwan Fried Rice, Chilli Paneer, Gobi Manchurian, Chilli Chicken, and Hakka Noodles (the spicy version). Pick N Save stocks it in 250g retail and 1kg catering sizes. Three tablespoons in fried rice produces standard restaurant heat; adjust up or down to personal preference.

Can I make Schezwan Fried Rice without egg?

Yes — skip the egg entirely. The rice, vegetables, and Schezwan sauce are the primary flavour carriers. The egg adds protein, golden colour, and textural variety but the dish is complete without it. For a vegan version, skip the egg and ensure the Ching's sauces are vegan-compatible (check labels). The vegetable-only version is approximately 290 calories per serving.

Where can I buy Schezwan chutney and Indo-Chinese sauces in the UK?

Pick N Save (picknsave.co.uk) stocks Ching's Schezwan Chutney in 250g retail and 1kg catering sizes, plus Ching's Dark Soy Sauce (200ml), Ching's Red Chilli Sauce (200g), Ching's Green Chilli Sauce (190g), and Ching's Hakka Noodles (150g) — the complete Indo-Chinese range. The same products make all five Indo-Chinese recipes: Schezwan Fried Rice, Chilli Paneer, Gobi Manchurian, Chilli Chicken, and Hakka Noodles. Home delivery across London and the UK, plus click and collect from Harrow — established 1999.

How many calories are in Schezwan Fried Rice?

A serving of vegetable Schezwan Fried Rice with egg contains approximately 340 calories with 12g of protein and 50g of carbohydrates (primarily from the rice). The fat (10g) comes from the wok-frying oil and the egg. Salt is 1.8g per serving (higher than typical Indian rice due to soy sauce). Adding chicken increases the total to approximately 440 calories with 32g protein. For a lighter version, use cauliflower rice instead of basmati — significantly lower carbs and calories.

Schezwan Fried Rice Recipe - Indo-Chinese Spicy Rice (15 Minutes)

Easy Indian Recipes

Schezwan Fried Rice Recipe - Indo-Chinese Spicy Rice (15 Minutes)

15 mins 4 servings Easy

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 15 mins

Servings 4

About This Recipe

Make restaurant-style Schezwan Fried Rice in 15 minutes — day-old basmati rice wok-fried with Ching's Schezwan Chutney, soy sauce, vegetables, scrambled egg, and spring onions. The essential companion to your Chilli Paneer, Gobi Manchurian, and Chilli Chicken. Completes the Indo-Chinese restaurant menu at home. Every ingredient at Pick N Save.

Ingredients

For the Schezwan Fried Rice

3 cups cold cooked basmati rice — day-old, refrigerated (Tilda Basmati Rice 5kg )
2 tbsp sunflower oil (KTC Pure Sunflower Oil 5 Litres)
2 eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt (OS Eggs UK White 18pk )
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped (Fresh Garlic Medium )
2cm piece ginger, finely chopped (Fresh Ginger Loose 500g )
½ green capsicum, diced into 1cm cubes (Green Capsicum 500g )
½ red capsicum, diced into 1cm cubes (Red Capsicum 500g )
1 small carrot, diced into 5mm cubes (Carrots 500g )
4 spring onions — whites sliced, greens reserved for garnish (Spring Onion Bunch )

For the Sauce (Pre-Mix in a Bowl)

3 tbsp Schezwan chutney (Ching's Schezwan Chutney 250g)
2 tbsp soy sauce (Ching's Dark Soy Sauce 200ml)
1 tsp vinegar (white or rice)
½ tsp sugar

Garnish

Sliced spring onion greens
Sesame seeds (optional)

Method

Why This Recipe Works

Schezwan Fried Rice is the dish that completes your Indo-Chinese restaurant menu at home. You have the starters (Chilli Paneer, Gobi Manchurian, Chilli Chicken) — now you have the rice they're served with. "Schezwan fried rice recipe" is one of the most searched Indo-Chinese terms globally, and the technique is pure wok cooking: cold, day-old rice tossed over the highest possible heat with Ching's Schezwan Chutney, soy sauce, vegetables, and scrambled egg in under 10 minutes.

The rule: COLD rice only. Hot, freshly cooked rice turns to mush in the wok. Day-old refrigerated rice (or rice cooled completely on a tray) has dried out just enough that the grains stay separate during high-heat tossing. Cook the rice the night before, or use our Jeera Rice leftovers — the cumin adds an extra dimension.

Step-by-Step Method

Step 1: Prepare Ingredients

Use 3 cups of cold, cooked basmati rice (Tilda Basmati Rice 5kg — cooked the previous day and refrigerated). Dice: ½ green capsicum (Green Capsicum 500g), ½ red capsicum (Red Capsicum 500g), 1 small carrot (Carrots 500g), 4 spring onions (Spring Onion Bunch) — whites chopped, greens reserved. Beat 2 eggs (OS Eggs UK White 18pk).

Mix the sauce: 3 tablespoons Ching's Schezwan Chutney (Ching's Schezwan Chutney 250g), 2 tablespoons soy sauce (Ching's Dark Soy Sauce 200ml), 1 teaspoon vinegar, ½ teaspoon sugar.

Step 2: Wok-Fry (8 Minutes)

Heat 2 tablespoons sunflower oil (KTC Pure Sunflower Oil) in a wok over the HIGHEST heat. Pour in beaten eggs — scramble for 30 seconds, break into small pieces, push to one side. Add 4 cloves garlic chopped (Fresh Garlic Medium) and 2cm ginger chopped (Fresh Ginger Loose 500g) — 10 seconds. Add vegetables — toss 2 minutes until charred at edges but crunchy. Add the cold rice — toss vigorously for 2 minutes, breaking any clumps with the spatula. Pour the sauce mixture over — toss 1 minute until every grain is coated and the rice turns a reddish-brown colour. Add spring onion whites — toss 10 seconds. Off the heat.

Step 3: Serve

Garnish with spring onion greens. Serve alongside Chilli Chicken, Gobi Manchurian Gravy, or Chilli Paneer Gravy. The complete Indo-Chinese combo meal.

Nutrition Facts

Energy 340 kcal (17% RI)

Fat 10 g – Medium (14% RI)

Saturates 2 g – Low (10% RI)

Carbohydrates 50 g (19% RI)

Fibre 2 g (8% RI)

Protein 12 g (24% RI)

Sugars 4 g – Low (4% RI)

Salt 1.8 g – Medium (30% RI)

*RI = Reference Intake. Values for the vegetable + egg version. Chicken variation adds approximately 100 kcal and 20g protein. Salt is higher than typical Indian rice dishes due to soy sauce.