Crazy Delicious Pak Choy Fried Rice
Pak Choy Fried Rice is one of those wonderfully convenient meals that proves you don’t need a long list of ingredients or hours in the kitchen to put something delicious on the table. Whether you’re looking for a quick lunch or it’s one of those busy weeknights when all you want to do is kick back on the couch with a warm, comforting meal, this Caribbean-style vegan fried rice is an excellent option.
While it may seem like an overly simple dish, the first bite will likely earn it a regular place in your meal rotation. Onion, garlic and ginger create the aromatic foundation, while toasted sesame oil and mushroom-flavoured soy sauce bring wonderful depth. Then there’s the freshly chopped pak choy, which adds its own distinctive flavour and a lovely combination of textures when cooked over high heat.
One of the things I especially enjoy about this recipe is how quickly everything comes together. In approximately 12 minutes of cooking, you can have a satisfying one-pot meal that is entirely plant-based, vegetarian, and suitable for those following an Ital-inspired diet.
If you’ve enjoyed my Vegetable Fried Rice, Jamaican Callaloo Fried Rice or Garden Fried Rice recipes over the years, I believe you’ll appreciate this version just as much. It’s another delicious way to make everyday ingredients work beautifully together.
Shopping Made Easy
- Pak choy is readily available in most larger grocery stores, usually in the fresh vegetable section. Asian and Caribbean markets are also good places to source it.
- If you cannot find pak choy, look for bok choy, as the names are often used interchangeably.
- Pimento or seasoning peppers are worth seeking out at Caribbean grocery stores. If they’re unavailable, bell peppers are a suitable substitute.
- Mushroom-flavoured soy sauce is commonly available at Asian grocery stores. Dark soy sauce is another option if you cannot find the mushroom variety.
- Toasted sesame oil is usually stocked in the international foods section of larger supermarkets.
- Fresh ginger and garlic are readily available in the produce section.
Cooking Notes from the Kitchen
- I prefer using chilled, day-old rice for fried rice recipes. The grains are firmer and less likely to clump together, giving you that lovely grainy texture we look for in a good fried rice.
- Pak choy naturally contains a fair amount of moisture. Don’t be surprised if you notice liquid collecting in the pan as it cooks.
- Pimento peppers are a wonderful ingredient in Caribbean cooking. They deliver a beautiful fragrance reminiscent of Scotch bonnet peppers without introducing the same level of heat.
- If you enjoy a little more heat, you can explore adding your preferred hot pepper, although the recipe as written is mild.
- The mushroom-flavoured soy sauce contributes much of the savoury character, while the toasted sesame oil adds another layer of fragrance. Together, they complement the freshness of the pak choy.
- MSG is entirely optional. The dish will still have plenty of flavour from the aromatics, vegetables, and seasonings.
- This is a convenient one-pot meal that works wonderfully for lunch, a quick weeknight dinner, or when you have leftover rice to use up.
Want to save this recipe?
Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox. You’ll also get new recipes and a free monthly menu plan!
Crazy Delicious Pak Choy Fried Rice (Quick Caribbean Vegan & Ital Style!)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger smashed/chopped
- 5 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 1/2 lb pak choy washed/chopped
- 3/4 teaspoon MSG optional
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 5 –8 pimento peppers chopped
- 3 cups cooked rice chilled
- 3/4 tablespoon mushroom-flavoured soy sauce dark soy sauce
Instructions
- Heat the oil over medium heat in a wok or wide pan, then add the onion, ginger, and garlic, toss, and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the washed and trimmed pak choy (bok choy) and stir well to coat with the flavoured oil. The scent in the kitchen will immediately give you that sort of comforting hug. Toss in the MSG (if using), salt, and toasted sesame oil.
- Cook for 3 minutes, then add the pieces of pimento (seasoning) peppers and mix well. The pimento pepper will give the dish the lovely fragrance of a Scotch bonnet pepper, without any heat. If you can't source the pimento peppers, use bell peppers. Most West Indian markets, as well as some Asian supermarkets tend to stock them.
- If you find that the pak choy has released a lot of liquid (which is normal), move everything to the sides and allow the centre area to be just the liquid, where it will burn off quickly.
- Add the day-old or chilled rice (watch the video below where I speak more about this and how it helps you to get a fluffy or grainy fried rice).
- Add the soy sauce and mix well to combine everything. The rice was cooked in salted water, so with that in mind, after 2 minutes, taste and adjust the salt to your liking. After 4–5 minutes of adding the rice, you're ready to enjoy a classic one-pot Caribbean vegan fried rice, which happens to be plant-based and fits well for those of us who follow vegetarian and Ital diets.What's your favourite quick meal? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, and don't forget to check out my other Vegan Fried Rice recipe.
