When I made my garlic, basil and onion leaves sinangag (fried rice) last year, I knew I was on to something good. But that gut feeling did not really take shape until I tried Vieux Chalet’s herbed rice. Of course, I did not ask for their recipe. That wouldn’t be polite. But I did some experiments and came up with something really extraordinarily good. I’m proud of me. 
I wish I could have captured the aroma and reproduce it here. 
My herb-loaded rice does not taste nor smell exactly the same as Vieux Chalet’s herbed rice which makes me conclude that they use a different combination of herbs. I mean, gee, I really love their herbed rice but I can’t go there every time I get a craving for it. Hence, my solution is to come up with my own home-cooked version.
I always say that fresh herbs are better than dried. But I don’t think it applies in this case. Fresh herbs are watery and they might make the rice mushy. All the herbs I used in this recipe were dried — the kind you can buy in jars in the supermarket — including the garlic.
Ingredients :
4-5 c. of cooked rice
4 tbsps. of olive oil
4 tbsps. of butter
1 tsp. of dried minced garlic
1 tsp. of dried basil
1 tsp. of dried oregano
1 tsp. of dried thyme
1 tbsp. of dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Cooking procedure :
Pour the olive oil and butter in a skillet and set the heat to the lowest setting. Add all the dried herbs except the parsley. Stir gently to moisten the herbs. After a minute or two, the oil will turn a bit greenish. That’s a good thing, okay? That means the flavors of the herbs are being absorbed by the oil.
Add the rice. Season with salt and pepper. Turn up the heat to medium and stir the content of the skillet to coat every grain of rice with the oil and herbs. Just keep stirring until the rice is heated through. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if necessary. Add the parsley, stir a few more times and you’re done.
Easy, right? And so simple? But if you’re having dinner guests — or if you have hard-to-please in-laws who are always trying to find fault with your cooking — well, this will blow them away.
hi connie! what kind of rice do you use when you make fried rice? i like my fried rice a bit dry and grains separated.
chunky, am not very particular about rice variety. i just use less water if i intend to make fried rice afterwards. long grain rice seems best (they don’t stick together so much) although italians will probably disagree and say that arborio is the only variety for dishes like this.
Hi, I’m not the smartest when it comes to herbs but i really want to give this a try (its seems like such a easy and delightful twist to plain rice^^)
One thing though, i can’t seem to find thyme anywhere near my area… If i forgoe it will the taste alter much?
Try the dried herbs section in the supermarket. McCormick’s has dried thyme.
connie, are there different varieties of thyme? coz my hubby doesnt want the aroma and the flavor ( i used it with my carbonara ) but how come you guys seem to like it? i have mccormick thyme and i havent had much chance to use it…. please advise. thanks again!
miles, perhaps if you used thyme in combination with other herbs and spices.
hi Connie, where is Vieux Chalet
…I’ll try this recipe, thanks.
In Antipolo, Ruby.