Sylheti Fried Rice
A comforting vegetarian built around leftover cooked rice, green chillies and ground turmeric — roughly 70 minutes start to finish, and rated medium to make. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 7 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for frying pan / skillet and pan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (5)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: vegetarian — no meat or fish, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Egg
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- If your rice is freshly cooked, spread it on a tray and chill it so the grains firm up and separate; cold day-old rice gives the best texture and stops the fried rice turning sticky.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok or frying pan over medium-high heat, then add the finely sliced onion and fry for 6 to 8 minutes until soft and lightly golden.
- Stir in the minced garlic, grated ginger and chopped green chillies and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant, then add the turmeric and cumin and toast the spices for 30 seconds.
- Push the mixture to one side, pour the beaten eggs into the cleared space and scramble them until just set, then break them up and mix into the onions.
- Add the peas and the cold rice, breaking up any clumps with the back of the spoon, and toss everything over high heat for 4 to 5 minutes until the rice is heated through and lightly toasted.
- Season with salt to taste and stir well so the spices coat every grain.
- Scatter over the chopped fresh coriander and serve hot.
You'll use: Frying pan / skillet · Pan · Wok
Ingredient substitutions
- Eggs
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (baking) · 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water per egg
Tips & common questions
How long does Sylheti Fried Rice take to make?
About 70 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 12 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of eggs?
Try ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (baking). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Sylheti Fried Rice vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat, fish or shellfish, so it is suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheese for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Sylheti Fried Rice is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: ꠛꠤꠞꠣꠘ ꠜꠣꠔ.jpg by AbuSayeed, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.