Nasi Goreng
Indonesia's great fried rice: day-old grains wok-tossed with sweet kecap manis, chile and garlic, crowned with a fried egg, prawn crackers and pickles.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
Nasi Goreng, in 5 ideas
- Kecap manis is the signature. Thick, sweet soy that caramelizes on the rice in the wok's heat. No kecap, no nasi goreng.
- Day-old rice, dried in the fridge, fries into separate grains. Fresh rice steams into clumps.
- The spice paste fries first until fragrant and darkened slightly. So every grain is coated in flavor, not just color.
- A proper plate is a small feast. Fried egg, prawn crackers, cucumber and tomato, and a sharp pickle on the side.
- Street vendors cook one portion at a time over fierce heat. At home, small batches are the same trick.
What you need
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked jasmine rice, chilled overnight
- 2 chicken thighs, diced, or 8 oz shrimp
- 3 shallots
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 red chiles
- 2 tbsp kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 2 eggs
- Prawn crackers, cucumber and tomato, to serve
- 2 tbsp oil
How to make it
Method
Pound or blend the shallots, garlic and chiles into a coarse paste.
Heat the oil in a wok until shimmering. Fry the paste for 2 minutes, until fragrant and a shade darker.
Add the chicken or shrimp and toss until just cooked through.
Add the cold rice, breaking up every clump. Pour the kecap manis and soy sauce around the wok's edge so they sizzle, then toss for 3 minutes until the rice is evenly amber and a few grains crisp.
Stir in the green onions and season to taste: it should be sweet, salty and warm with chile.
Fry the eggs separately with lacy edges. Fry or microwave the prawn crackers until puffed.
Serve the rice mounded, egg on top, crackers, cucumber and tomato alongside.
Spread leftover rice on a tray in the fridge uncovered for a few hours if you forgot to cook it yesterday: it dries enough to fry beautifully.