Nasi Goreng

Indonesia is made up of around 18,000 islands of which approximately 6,000 are populated. So it is no wonder that this beautiful nation boasts one of the most flavour-filled and colourful cuisines in the world. Due to its ideal location, Indonesia throughout history has been involved in trade. This of course has resulted in the sharing of its wondrous cuisines as well. One of these is the ‘Nasi Goreng’. The literal meaning of this dish in Indonesian and Malay is ‘fried rice’. It usually is made up of ‘left-over’ cooked rice and an array of other savoury ingredients.

Generally, the Nasi Goreng is made with a combination of meats like beef, chicken and prawns. But it's up to you, how you want to make it.

I came up with this recipe one day when I really had no idea what to cook for dinner. So, I just opened up my fridge and did an inventory of everything in it. This is one of my regular habits. Then after some research online, I decided to test my skills. We all loved it at home and now it has become a family favourite. Hope you enjoy it too.

For the demo video of a slightly different variation of this dish click - @LockdownNasiGoreng

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Gather all the ingredients together.

Mince the green chillies, garlic and small onions in a blender or food processor. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok on a low to medium flame. Add the minced garlic, green chillies and onion mix once the oil is hot. Saute for about 2 minutes.

Add the sliced onions and saute till they are translucent.

Add the chicken and Chinese Chillie Paste. Mix and saute for about 3 minutes.

Add the carrot and mix. Saute for about 3 minutes.

Add the bell peppers and mix. Saute for about 2 miutes.

Now make a well in the centre and crack the eggs into it. Scramble them up and mix with the rest of the mixture. Add salt and mix. Remember, do not add too much salt because the chillie paste is salty.

Add the rice a little at a time and mix. Add the soy sauce and fish sauce. Mix and then cook for about a minute.

Finally, add the spring onions / leeks and mix well. Switch off the flame.

Nasi Goreng is usually served with a fried egg. I made a simple salad of onions and tomatoes mixed with some yogurt, salt and pepper. Also, since I did not have prawn crackers, which is what goes well with it, I fried some normal pappad / pappadam instead. 

For each serving, I filled a small bowl with the rice mixture and turned it upside down onto a plate. This gave me the desired shape. Then I placed the fried egg on top and added the salad and pappad / pappadam to the sides. 

You can also add about a teaspoon or so of chillie paste to the side if someone wants to add a bit more spice to their meal. Enjoy!