Raw Papaya Fried Rice

# of servings:  4-6
Preparation Time:  20 mins	Cook Time:  30 mins

A quick, delicious, and nutritious recipe that will soon become a favorite!  Easy to give a tasty twist to even leftover rice.  Fussy kids who don't like papaya won't even know they ate papaya :). 

Ingredients:

• Rice - 2 cups
• Water - 3 cups
• Raw Papaya - 3 cups shredded
• Onion - 2 (thin long slices)
• Colored Bell peppers (optional) - 1 cup (thin long slices)
• Carrots (optional) - 2 cups shredded
• Ginger - 2 inches
• Garlic - 6-8 pods
• Bay leaves - 1 or 2
• Black cardamom - 3
• Green cardamom - 4
• Cloves - 8
• Cinnamon stick - 2 inches
• Black pepper - 1.5 tsp
• Star Anise (optional) - 2 segments of one star
• Chili-garlic sauce (or) Green chili paste - 1 tsp 
• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp 
• Salt

Method:

• Cook the rice and water, with just enough salt for the rice ('Pressure' mode for 3 min. in IP)
• Open and let it cool for at least 10-15 mins. Be sure to give this time, or the rice will become a mushy lump 
• In the meantime, shred the raw papaya into juliennes 
• Chop all other veggies being used, as desired
• Grate ginger and garlic
• Make a coarse powder of all other spices except bay leaves
• In another vessel, add 2 tbsp of oil ('Saute' mode in IP)
• When the oil is hot, add powdered spices
• On high heat, add ginger-garlic paste/shreds
• Add chili paste (whichever is being used) 
• Add onions, carrots, and bell peppers in that order (whichever is being used)
• Quickly add shredded green papaya and saute 
• Add salt and toss well
• Add the cooked rice and toss with the veggies using a gentle hand
• Turn off heat, add lemon juice and toss a little bit
• When it is mixed well and heated through, serve hot with a drizzle of ketchup on top (optional)

Tips and Tricks:

• Start the rice first before working on the veggies
• Leftover rice works best as the grains will separate easily without making it mushy, and saves time as well 
• It is better if the rice has cooled down a little bit before adding it to the vegetables.  Hot rice, if handled too roughly, will become a mushy lump
• Work quickly with high heat with the vegetables, or they will become soggy.  They taste better when al dente (firm to the bite), yet crunchy

Pictures: 

Final Outcome: