Shanghai Vegetable Rice

A bowl of vegetable white rice with veggies in the rice. There are two black chopsticks sticking out of the bowl and it sits on a dark wooden table.

Ivan / Getty Images

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 2 servings

Plain cooked rice and stir-fried bok choy taste great on their own, but pairing them adds something extra. In this recipe for vegetable rice, adding stir-fried vegetables to steaming rice means the rice is nicely infused with their flavor. There are numerous variations on this eastern Chinese dish. For example, you can forego the mushrooms and add steamed Chinese sausages, or replace the bok choy with Chinese cabbage. It makes a very nutritious side dish that pairs nicely with cooked chicken, beef, or seafood, whether or not you’re preparing a complete Chinese meal.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice

  • 2 1/4 cups water

  • 2 heads baby bok choy, about 5 ounces each

  • 2 to 3 large Chinese dried black mushrooms, softened

  • 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons peanut oil, or vegetable oil for stir-frying, as needed

  • 2 slices ginger

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar

  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

  • 2 tablespoons water

  • 4 tablespoons sesame oil

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Rinse the rice 2 or 3 times and drain. 

  3. Bring the rice to a boil, uncovered, at medium heat.

  4. While waiting for the rice to boil, prepare the vegetables.

  5. Separate the stalks and leaves from the baby bok choy. Cut the stalks diagonally and the leaves across.

  6. Squeeze the softened mushrooms to remove excess water. Cut into thin slices.

  7. Heat the wok and add 2 to 3 teaspoons oil, as needed. When the oil is ready, add the ginger and stir-fry briefly, about 30 seconds, until aromatic. Add the sliced mushrooms and stir-fry for about 2 minutes.

  8. Push the mushrooms to the side and heat 2 to 3 teaspoons oil in the middle.

  9. Add the bok choy, adding the stalks first, and then the leaves.

  10. Stir in the soy sauce, sugar, and salt, and stir-fry on high heat for 1 minute.

  11. Add the water, cover the wok, and simmer for about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame oil.

  12. When the rice comes to a boil, turn the heat down to medium-low. Place the lid on the pot, keeping it tilted to allow steam to escape.

  13. When you can see holes or “craters” on the rice, add the vegetables on top (remove the 2 ginger slices if desired). Put the lid on tight, turn the heat to low, and simmer for another 15 minutes.

  14. Stir the vegetables into the rice and fluff it up. Serve.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
525 Calories
35g Fat
47g Carbs
7g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 525
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 35g 45%
Saturated Fat 5g 26%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 632mg 27%
Total Carbohydrate 47g 17%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 40mg 201%
Calcium 164mg 13%
Iron 3mg 14%
Potassium 891mg 19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)