About

Nasi goreng has been called the national dish of Indonesia, though there are many other contenders. It can be enjoyed in simple versions from a tin plate at a roadside food stall, eaten on porcelain in restaurants, or collected from the buffet tables of Jakarta dinner parties.

Ingredients

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For Nasi Goreng

• 200g jasmine rice
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tbsp kecap manis
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 4 spring onions
• 1 bird’s eye chilli, sliced, to serve
• For the paste
• 50g shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 tsp Indonesian shrimp paste (terasi)
• 1 large medium red chilli, deseeded
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• Fried eggs
• Sliced cucumber or tomatoes
• Lightly blanched vegetables
• Cooked meat or seafood
• Crispy shallots
• Salted peanuts

Direction

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Processing:

Related Video

Step 1:Put the rice in a pan with 400ml boiling water. Stir once, bring to a simmer, then cover and turn the heat right down. Cook for 15 minutes, then take off the heat and leave on a damp tea towel or cloth for five minutes with the lid off. Fork through to fluff up, then spread on a baking tray and refrigerate, overnight if possible. Put all the ingredients for the paste in a small blender or mortar and whizz or pound until fairly smooth.
Step 2:Heat the oil in a wok over a high heat, then fry the garlic until golden, not brown, then pour in the eggs, leave to cook until half set, then break up. Carry on frying the egg until it’s just beginning to brown, then tip in the spice paste and cook for a minute or so. Add the rice by hand, breaking up any clumps as you go, and fry until heated through, then stir in the kecap manis, soy sauce, spring onion and chilli.
Step 3:Fry, stirring, for another minute or so, then taste and season as necessary. Divide between plates and top with whatever you’ve chosen from the list above. Eat immediately.

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