Description
Indonesian Fried Rice, or Nasi Goreng, is a comforting dish with savory, sweet, and spicy notes, topped with crispy shallots and fresh vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 head shallot, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 to 1.5 teaspoons shrimp paste (optional)
- 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1 Tbsp sambal oelek (adjust to taste for spice level)
- 400g cooked jasmine rice (day-old rice works best)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 green onion, chopped
- Sunny side up eggs (1 per person)
- Shrimp crackers (krupuk)
- Fried shallots
- Fresh tomato and/or cucumber slices
- Pickled cucumber and carrots
Instructions
- Pickles: In a small pot, combine 1 cup vinegar, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1 clove of garlic (smashed), 1 chopped shallot, and optional chilies; bring to a boil. Place 1 cup of sliced carrots and cucumbers in a heat-proof container and pour the boiled mixture over them. Seal and let cool before refrigerating for at least 30 minutes.
- Fried: shallots: Thinly slice 1 shallot and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Pat dry and fry in oil on low heat until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
- Shrimp: Crackers: Break dry shrimp crackers into smaller pieces. Fry them in hot oil until they puff up—this should take about 30 seconds. Drain and store in an airtight container.
- Fried: Rice Prep: In a mortar and pestle, pound together 3 cloves of garlic, 1 shallot, and 1 tsp shrimp paste into a smooth paste. In a small bowl, mix together 1 Tbsp kecap manis, 1 Tbsp fish sauce, and 1 Tbsp sambal oelek.
- Cooking: the Fried Rice: Heat 2 Tbsp of oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the herb paste and sauté until fragrant. If using any optional proteins or vegetables, toss them in and stir-fry for a few minutes. Add in the 400g of cooked jasmine rice along with the sauce mixture and 1/4 tsp salt. Toss everything until the rice is evenly coated and grains are dry.
- Serving: Fry eggs sunny side up in the same wok. Plate the fried rice and arrange the toppings—fried shallots, pickled carrots, cucumber, shrimp crackers, and sliced tomatoes or cucumbers—around the dish. Garnish with chopped green onions.
Notes
Keep the heat medium-high to ensure the rice doesn’t steam. Use cold rice for the best texture; day-old rice is ideal for fried rice.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stir-frying
- Cuisine: Indonesian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 80mg