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Nasi goreng
Indonesian fried rice with kecap manis, chilli and shallot paste, topped with a crisp-edged fried egg
Every warung and night stall from Medan to Makassar has its own nasi goreng, but the starting point is always yesterday's rice, a pounded paste of shallot, garlic and chilli, and a glug of kecap manis that turns the grains glossy and caramel-brown. Indonesians eat it for breakfast as readily as for a late supper, crowned with a fried egg and served with cucumber, tomato and a heap of crackers. This vegetarian version keeps all the smoky-sweet depth without the usual shrimp paste. Chef's tip: get the wok properly hot and add the kecap manis down the side of the pan, not onto the rice, so it sizzles and caramelises before you toss it through.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
For the spice paste
For the rice
To serve
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Pound or blitz 4 shallots, 3 cloves garlic and 2 red chillies to a rough, moist paste. Break up 1 ⅛ lb cooked jasmine rice with your fingers so there are no clumps; cold rice fries into separate grains, freshly cooked rice turns to mush. Using warm, just-cooked rice is the classic mistake: it clumps and goes sticky in the wok.
3 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp of the 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok over a medium heat. Fry the paste, stirring, for 2–3 minutes until it stops smelling raw, turns a shade darker and the oil goes orange.
3 minStep 3: Turn the heat to high. Add 2 ⅞ oz white cabbage and stir-fry for 1 minute until it just wilts, then add the rice and toss for 2 minutes, pressing it against the hot wok so the grains heat through and start to crackle.
3 minStep 4: Pour 2 tbsp kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) and 1 tsp light soy sauce down the side of the wok so they sizzle, then toss until every grain is evenly tan. Season with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp white pepper, add 3 spring onions and toss once more. Taste and add a little more kecap if you like it sweeter.
2 minStep 5: Divide the rice between plates. Wipe out the wok, heat the remaining 3 tbsp vegetable oil over a medium-high heat and fry 2 eggs for 2–3 minutes, spooning hot oil over the whites, until the edges are brown and lacy and the yolks still runny.
3 minStep 6: Top each plate with an egg and serve with ½ cucumber, 1 tomato, a scattering of 2 tbsp crispy fried shallots and a spoonful of 1 tbsp sambal oelek on the side.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 72 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does nasi goreng take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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