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5 from 13 votes

Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)

Nasi Goreng is a popular Indonesian fried rice that packs a ton of flavor in each bite, and is probably one of the tastiest fried rice out there. It features a unique dark brown color that comes from the sweet soy sauce (kecap manis) caramelizing and a salty shrimp paste that gives it a lot of umami flavor.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course, Side
Cuisine: Indonesian
Servings: 3
Calories: 1009kcal
Author: Joyce Lee

Ingredients

  • 3 cups rice (day old, cold)
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • oil
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2-3 small shallots (or 1 small onion, approx. ⅓ cup)
  • 2½ teaspoons shrimp paste (or 3 tablespoons of fish sauce. See notes about shrimp paste)
  • 2½ tablespoons kecap manis
  • 1-2 bird's eye chili (or 1 tablespoon of sambal olek hot sauce)

Chicken Marinade

  • 1 stalk green onion (use the whites for marinades, and the greens for a garnish)
  • 2 boneless chicken thighs (or 1 chicken breast, or 1½ cups of ground meat)
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce

Garnish

  • 3 eggs (1 per serving)
  • fried shallots/onions
  • green onions
  • tomato
  • cucumber

Instructions

Preparation

  • Start by breaking up the leftover rice (3 cups rice into small pieces by hand. The smaller, the better as it helps the rice to fry evenly.
    Me showing how to break up cold leftover rice into small pieces by hand.
  • Finely mince 2-3 small shallots and 3 cloves garlic and set them aside. If you are making it spicy, chop 1-2 bird's eye chili as well.
    Grated garlic, minced shallots and Thai birds eye chili chopped for prep for the nasi goreng.
  • Slice the tomato and cucumber and set them aside. These will be used for garnishing your plate.
    Tomatoes and cucumbers being sliced on a cutting board.
  • Finely mince 1 stalk green onion and set them aside. Separate the greens as a garnish for the end and the whites as a marinade for the chicken.
    Chopping green onions for nasi goreng, separating the greens and the whites on a cutting board.

Marinate the Chicken

  • Cut 2 boneless chicken thighs up into small cubes and place them in a bowl. I like to keep the skin on for more flavor and texture.
    Dicing chicken on a cutting board for nasi goreng.
  • Add the whites of the green onions and 1 tablespoon fish sauce and set it aside to marinate.
    Chicken being marinated for indonesian fried rice in a metal bowl.

Make the Fried Egg

  • Fry a sunny side up egg and set it aside for later. Fry 1 egg per serving, so if you're making two servings, make 2 eggs.
    Two fried eggs in a frying pan being made ahead of time for the nasi goreng.

Make the Fried Rice

  • In a large skillet or wok, set the heat to medium-high. Once the pan is hot, add in oil (don't be shy with the oil) and 1 tablespoon butter. Then add in the marinated diced chicken and cook it until it is fully cooked which will take approximately 2-3 minutes.
    Stir frying chicken in a frying pan for nasi goreng.
  • Add in the minced shallots. Cook until they are soft for 2 minutes, then add in the minced garlic and toast it for 1 minute.
    Add the shallots, chilis and garlic to the chicken in the frying pan.
  • Push the chicken aside and add in 2½ teaspoons shrimp paste and toast it for about 1 minute or until it turns a darker color. (If you are using fish sauce, do not add it yet)
    Add the shrimp paste into to the frying pan.
  • Add the 3 cups rice and mix everything together. Cook the rice for about 2-3 minutes. Use this time to also break up any lumps of rice into individual grains.
    Adding rice to the frying pan for nasi goreng.
  • Add in 2½ tablespoons kecap manis and turn up the heat to high to toast the rice and caramelize the sugars in the sauce for about 2 minutes. (If you are using fish sauce, add in 3 tablespoons now.)
    Add kecap manis to the nasi goreng in the frying pan.
  • Do a Taste Test. Everyone has a different preference when it comes to their sweet and salty balance. Do a taste test and adjust to how you like it.
    I personally like a 1:1 balance of salty and sweet, but if you like it sweeter, add more kecap manis. I also like my nasi goreng quite flavorful, if you find this too strong in flavor, add ¼ cup to ½ cup more rice to bring it down a notch.
  • Add in the green part of the green onions, turn off the heat and mix well.
    Add the green onions to the pan for the nasi goreng.

Plate and Garnish

  • Place the nasi goreng fried rice on a plate or bowl and place the cucumber and tomatoes on the side. If you are using shrimp/prawn crackers, add a few on the side as well.
  • Sprinkle some fried shallots/onions. (I like to use a lot, and find when mixed into the rice gives it a lot of extra flavor and texture).
  • Add the fried egg on top and enjoy!
    Closeup of nasi goreng with a fried egg on a green plate.

Notes

  • Type of Shrimp Paste: For this recipe, I use Chinese shrimp paste (sometimes labelled as shrimp sauce) which can be found in a jar because it is easier to find and work with. It is more sauce-like, and grey in color, and the brands I use at home are either Lee Kum Kee/Koon Yick/Koon Chun (not sponsored). If  you are using terasi (or belacan) you will need to do a bit more prep. They usually come in a dry block form, and will need to be toasted ahead of time and mashed into the garlic, chili and shallots with a bit of oil before you use it. Also keep in mind that the dry block form is also a lot more potent, so you will use a lot less as well, so do not do a 1:1 substitute with the Chinese shrimp paste. Alternatively, you can also use fish sauce as well.
  • Use Leftover Cold Rice: For the best nasi goreng, use day-old rice. Cold rice is less sticky, drier and easier to stir-fry, giving your fried rice a perfect texture. If you don't have day-old rice, make fresh rice with less water and once the rice is done, spread it out onto a cookie sheet to cool down and then put it in the freezer for about 45 minutes.
  • It's Okay to Buy the Extras: While you can deep fry your own fried shallots/onions and shrimp crackers, it's a lot easier to just buy them. Nasi goreng is meant to be a quick to make dish without a lot of fuss and you can use the extra fried onions as a garnish on practically anything (and it's delicious!), and I love to snack on the extra prawn chips! I buy the shrimp chips from any Asian grocery store, and the fried onions from Asian or Indian grocery stores.
  • Don't Skimp on the Oil: Be generous with your use of oil when cooking your nasi goreng. This not only prevents the ingredients from sticking to the wok or pan but also helps to evenly distribute the salty umami shrimp paste flavors throughout the fried rice and helps caramelize the kecap manis as well.
  • Use Kecap Manis: This sweet soy sauce is a key ingredient in nasi goreng. If you can't find it, you can substitute it with molasses (not blackstrap, that's bitter) and soy sauce, or dark brown sugar and soy sauce.
  • Toast the Shrimp Paste: Toast your shrimp paste/shrimp sauce to bring out and intensify its flavor. However, be prepared for a strong smell in your kitchen! I like to use shrimp sauce for this recipe which is slightly gray in color, so I will toast it until it becomes a browner color.
  • Fried Shallots/Onions Are Highly Recommended: The fried shallots/onions add an element of crunch to this fried rice, but they also really transform the dish itself because they provide a LOT of flavor, so don't forget to use them. 
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