Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)
Indonesia's national dish: day-old rice stir-fried with chicken, a chili-shallot paste and sweet soy sauce (kecap manis), topped with a fried egg and served with cucumber, tomato and crunchy crackers.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Make the spice paste
Put the shallots, garlic, chilies and shrimp paste in a small blender or mortar. Blend or pound into a rough paste.
Fry the eggs
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium heat. Fry the eggs one or two at a time until the whites are crispy at the edges and the yolks still runny. Set aside on a plate.
Fry the paste
Add the rest of the oil to the wok. Fry the spice paste for about 2 minutes, stirring, until it smells good and turns a little darker.
Cook the chicken
Add the chicken and stir-fry for 4–5 minutes until cooked through.
Add the rice
Turn the heat to high. Break up the cold rice with your hands and add it to the wok. Stir and toss for 3–4 minutes until hot.
Season
Add the kecap manis, soy sauce and salt. Toss for 1–2 more minutes until every grain is brown and shiny. Stir in the spring onions.
Serve
Put the rice on plates and top each with a fried egg. Add cucumber and tomato on the side, and sprinkle with fried shallots. Serve with prawn crackers.
Make the spice paste
Put the shallots, garlic, chilies and shrimp paste in a small blender or mortar. Blend or pound into a rough paste.
Fry the eggs
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium heat. Fry the eggs one or two at a time until the whites are crispy at the edges and the yolks still runny. Set aside on a plate.
Fry the paste
Add the rest of the oil to the wok. Fry the spice paste for about 2 minutes, stirring, until it smells good and turns a little darker.
Cook the chicken
Add the chicken and stir-fry for 4–5 minutes until cooked through.
Add the rice
Turn the heat to high. Break up the cold rice with your hands and add it to the wok. Stir and toss for 3–4 minutes until hot.
Season
Add the kecap manis, soy sauce and salt. Toss for 1–2 more minutes until every grain is brown and shiny. Stir in the spring onions.
Serve
Put the rice on plates and top each with a fried egg. Add cucumber and tomato on the side, and sprinkle with fried shallots. Serve with prawn crackers.
The Story Behind the Dish
Fried rice came to Indonesia with Chinese traders and settlers, who fried leftover rice so nothing was wasted. Indonesian cooks made it their own with chili, shrimp paste and sweet soy sauce.
Today nasi goreng is eaten at any time of day, from breakfast at home to late-night street carts that cook it to order over roaring flames.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It is cheap, quick, full of flavor, and every family and street seller has their own version.
💡 Fun Fact
In 2011, nasi goreng was voted one of the world's most delicious foods in a CNN readers' poll, and Indonesia later named it a national dish.
Java, Indonesia
-6.21°S, 106.85°E
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