Recipe: Brendan Pang’s “Not Exactly Traditional” Mauritian Fried Rice

There are many ways to make fried rice – from kimchi-spiked to classic combination, and even Adam Liaw’s carbonara-style spin. Now, Masterchef alum Brendan Pang is adding to the canon with his own Mauritian spin on the classic.

“This recipe … [blends] all of Mauritia’s amazing flavours into one delicious dish,” he writes in his new cookbook, This Is A Book About Rice. “It’s not exactly traditional, but it brings together the best of the island – Indian spices mixed with a Chinese stir-fry technique.”

Pang, whose cooking is informed by his Chinese Mauritian roots, adds warmth to the classic dish with the addition of garam masala, cumin and turmeric. “This dish really captures the bold, vibrant local flavours all in one tasty bowl of fried rice.” And it’s ready in less than 30 minutes.

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Spiced Mauritian fried rice by Brendan Pang

Serves 3–4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 12 minutes

Ingredients

40ml (2 tbsp & 2 tsp) vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, diced
1 red capsicum, diced
1 chicken breast, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
20g (4 tsp) tomato paste
40ml (2 tbsp & 2 tsp) light soy sauce
495g (3 cups & 2 tbsp) cooked long-grain rice

To serve

Fresh coriander, for garnish
Lemon wedges

Method

In a wok, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds, until fragrant. Stir in the onion, carrot and red capsicum, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until softened. Push the vegetables to the side and add the chicken and garlic. Stir-fry until the chicken is browned and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes.

Sprinkle in the turmeric and garam masala, tossing to coat the chicken and vegetables evenly. Stir in the tomato paste and light soy sauce, then cook for another minute to deepen the flavours. Add the cooked rice and mix everything together, then fry for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the rice is heated through and coated with the spices. 

To serve, garnish with fresh coriander and a squeeze of lemon juice for brightness.

Reprinted with permission from This Is A Book About Rice by Brendan Pang, Page Street Publishing Co, 2025. Photo credit: Kidensha Film & Photography Studio, Taiwan, China.