Nasi Goreng Indonesian Fried Rice: The Quintessential Indonesian Dish
When I moved to Bali with my ex, I had never tried Indonesian food.
None – Never. I had no idea what I was missing out on.
If you like spicy food – Go to your nearest Indonesian restaurant NOW.
Over the following 7 months, I tried too many delicious dishes to count, but luckily I kept a diary.
Living in Bali I ate at a new ‘Warung’ everyday; warungs are small local eateries or food stalls that are prevalent throughout the island.
These establishments are an essential part of Balinese culinary culture and cater to both locals and tourists. They are cheap, crowded, delicious, and at times a little hectic.
The word warung simply translates to “small shop” or “stall” in Indonesian.
Nasi Goreng Indonesian Fried Rice:
Today we will start with the national dish of Indonesia, the most well known, and universally loved – Nasi Goreng, which literally means “fried rice” in Indonesian and Malay
Most restaurants let you choose between chicken or prawns, or both, and it may or may not have some vegetables tossed in and a “salad” served on the side.
*An Indonesian salad = a few slices of cucumber and a few slices of tomato, and maybe 1 leaf of lettuce, but usually not.
Tradionaly served with a fried egg sunny side-up on top.
Nasi Goreng can be found in street carts, humble warungs (Indonesian small family-owned café or restaurant) and fancy five-star beach resorts.
The yolk runs into the rice creating a very rich and delicious mixture, those are the savoured bites.
Some variations of Nasi Goreng include adding in terasi (shrimp paste) or kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) for a unique twist of flavors.
And Sambal on the side.
It’s important to note that not all Sambal is created equal, and the level of spice can vary greatly between regions and even households.
Sambal being Indonesian hot sauce,
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If you’re ever in Indonesia, trying Nasi Goreng is a must. It’s a dish that truly represents the heart and soul of Indonesian cuisine.
Sambal Oelek:
You can’t talk about nasi goreng or Indonesian food without talking about Sambal Oelek.
Make no mistake, there are no tomatoes in this sauce. Sambal oelek is made from chili peppers, rice vinegar, salt, and and sometime sugar and lime juice.
On a scale of 10 out of 10 on heat, it is usually an 11. You rarely see anybody use more than 1 teaspoon, and while it is HOT, the flavor has depth.
It is addictive, and sadly the stuff they sell at the Asian market is never as good as homemade (based on my experience), – but it is easy to make SAMBAL RECIPE LINK
Why Nasi Goreng: Indonesian Fried Rice Works, & What makes Nasi Goreng different from other fried rices?
The key ingredients that give Nasi Goreng: Indonesian Fried Rice its distinctive flavor are kecap manis and (dried shrimp, or shrimp paste, or fish sauce). Just pick 1.
Kecap Manis: Indonesia’s secret Sauce
- Kecap manis is a ‘sweet soy sauce’ that is thick and syrupy, and adds a dark brown color and a caramelized sweetness to the rice. Frequently, I see Kecap Manis described as a ‘sweet soy sauce’, and I think that is a bad description.
Yes, it has palm sugar in it, but there is a lot of other spices, and flavors. Labeling it as a “sweet soy sauce” overlooks the intricate interplay of flavors within kecap manis.
It’s more accurate to recognize kecap manis as a versatile and nuanced condiment.
I like to think of it as Indonesian Worcestershire sauce – You add a little to a dish, and you can’t really tell it it’s there, but all of a sudden you have umami, and depth in the flavors.
As always start with your Mise en Place.
This recipe has a lot of ingredients, and a fair amount of preparation, but once you get everything together it cooks in a little over 10-15 minutes.
Also note this a flexible recipe, I often use it to use up leftover vegetables and chicken. Use what ever veggies you want, as long as they are all about the same size they should cook at about the same speed.
Not shown in the photo is my wok, as my kitchen is small. You can use a large frying pan, but the depth of the wok, gives you a lot more room and control.
Who knew Shrimp could be a umami Bomb?
- Dried shrimp is a secret weapon in the Asian kitchen: They are shrimp that have been sun-dried and shrunk to a thumbnail size.
I usually use the dried shrimp. I buy them frozen at my Asian grocer.
It just gives a bit of an umami flavor additional you can use shrimp paste, which produces a similar result, just also is saltier.
I usually keep a bag of dried shrimp in my freezer, and use it as needed. Despite the smell, they really add flavor. It needs a little fish-funk.
Nasi goreng is served with an egg. Usually fried, but not always), fried shallots, cucumber, tomato, prawn crackers, and sambal (a very spicy chili sauce).
Nasi Goreng: Indonesian Fried Rice Ingredients:
Yes, there are a lot of ingredients, but if you use cooked chicken and/or shrimp the dish comes together quite fast.
Mise en place is a French term that translates to getting everything ready before you start. When cooing with a wok this is especially important, as you you are cooking hot and fast, and things get added in a specific order, 1 after another.
The garnishes are not mandatory, but the do make the dish “authentic”
- Cooked rice (basmati or jasmine) 1 day-old and refrigerated
- Chicken, cooked
- Eggs
- Shrimp, cooked if large, raw if small peeled and deveined
- Red bell pepper (capsicum), sliced, and chopped
- Shallots or onion, finely diced
- Red chilies, finely diced
- Kecap Manis i.e., sweet soy sauce available at your local Asian grocer
- Soy sauce
- Dried shrimp or shrimp paste
- Spring onions, chopped
- Cooking oil, Peanut oil, vegetable oil, canola oil – But NOT Olive Oil
- Salt and “white” pepper to taste
Garnish and sides:
- Lime wedges for serving
- Prawn chips”krupuk udang”, side
- Fried shallots or fried onions, garnish
- Fresh cucumber and tomato, side
- Sambal sauce, side
To start cooking your nasi goreng
Heat your pan to med-high, and when it start to smoke add your oil and swirl it around to coat it. 2-3 teaspoons. Then add the onions, and in my case red peppers
After the vegetables start to soften (3-4 minutes).
Then I add my frozen, but thawed green beans. They only need a minute to cook. Fresh green beans will take 3 or 4 minutes to cook. Next, I add the raw shrimp as they only take a minute or two to cook. And we are getting close to the finish.
Now before we finalize the Nasi Goreng we need to fry an egg real quick.
Turn up the temp on your stove and fry it fast and hot, with about a teaspoon of oil per egg. Ideally the bottom will be golden, and yolk be a perfect sunny-side up.
While the egg is cooking add your pre-cooked chicken, cacap manis, soy sauce, and fish sauce. The pan should be sizzling hot, as we need the cacap manis to caramelize. You can tell when it has started to caramelize when it thickens up.
Give everything a good toss, turn the heat to low and taste for flavor. Adjust as needed.
When the egg is almost ready, plate the rice, and add scallions, and fried onions. and Indonesian salad of 3 slice of cucumber and 2 slice of tomato. Serve with prawn chips to help you scoop it up. And sambal sauce on the side to make it as fiery as you want.
Top with an egg and enjoy! Normally Indonesian food is served with a spoon.
Tips and Tricks for Making Nasi Goreng: Indonesian Fried Rice
Making Nasi Goreng at home is not difficult, but there are a few tips and tricks that can help you achieve a better result. Here are some of them:
- Use Cold, Cooked Day-Old Rice: Optimal fried rice texture is achieved with cold, day-old rice, preventing it from sticking together during stir-frying.
- Choose a Large Skillet or Wok: Ensure even cooking and avoid overcrowding by using a spacious cooking surface. A small skillet or wok can lead to clumpy and soggy rice.
- Preheat the Skillet or Wok: Before adding oil and ingredients, ensure your cooking vessel is well-heated to prevent sticking and burning. Keep stirring and tossing the rice continuously.
- Incorporate Kecap Manis and Terasi: These ingredients are crucial for the distinctive flavor of Nasi Goreng. Kecap manis can be found in Asian stores or online, while terasi can be substituted with shrimp paste or fish sauce in smaller quantities.
- Toast Terasi for Enhanced Flavor: If using terasi, lightly toast it in a dry skillet before incorporating it into the dish. This reduces the smell and intensifies the flavor.
You can also adjust the spiciness, sweetness, and saltiness of the dish to your liking. The most important thing is to enjoy the process and the result of making your own nasi goreng.
Nasi Goreng: Indonesian Fried Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2-3 tablespoons Cooking oil Peanut, vegetable, canola – But NOT Olive Oil
- 2/3 cup onion chopped
- 2/3 cup red bell pepper sliced and chopped
- 2/3 cup carrots diced
- 1 cup green beans cut into 1 inch chunks
- 3 cups cooked jasmine rice 1 day-old and refrigerated
- 1/3 cup dried and frozen shrimp roughly chopped up
- 2/3 cup shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 cups boneless chicken Sliced, shredded or cubed
- 2-3 eggs 1 per person
- 2-6 Thai birds eye chilies finely chopped (adjust to taste)
- 3 tablespoons kecap manis i.e., sweet soy sauce kecap manis is available at your local Asian grocer
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon shrimp paste available at your local Asian grocer or substitute 2 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1/4 cup spring onions sliced thin
- Salt and “white" pepper to taste
- Lime wedges for serving
- 2 cups prawn chips "krupuk udang" Side garnish
- 1 tablespoon Fried shallots or onions garnish
- Fresh cucumber and tomato slices for the 'salad' sliced
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together soy sauce, kecap manis, fish sauce, and white pepper.
- Heat a wok or large pan to medium high. When the wok starts to smoke add 1 Tbsp oil along the sides of it, so it runs down. The oil should coat the bottom of the pan. add chopped onion, sauté until soft – about 4-6 minutes.
- Add diced carrots and sliced bell pepper. Stir-fry until the vegetables are tender yet still crisp. About 4 minutes.
- Push the vegetables to one side of the wok, add a bit more oil if needed, and pour the cooked and cooled rice on the other side. Break up any clumps and mix the rice with the vegetables.
- Add shrimp, and cook for a minute, add chicken, and cook for a minute more
- Pour the sauce over the rice mixture and stir to combine evenly.
- In a separate pan, fry the eggs sunny-side-up, or however you like them.
- Serve the nasi goreng hot, topped with a fried egg on each portion.
- Serve prawn chips on the side for a crunchy texture.
- Arrange fresh sliced cucumber and tomato as a refreshing 'salad'. *See photo
Nutrition
Nasi Goreng Indonesian Fried Rice pairs well with:
That is the best fried rice i ever had. Thanks