Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)

5 from 4 votes

Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)

Nasi Goreng is the beloved national dish of Indonesia, an Indonesian fried rice with aromatic shrimp paste, sweet soy sauce, and savory elements like garlic and fried shallots.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Rice

Cuisine: Indonesian

Servings:

Calories: 711kcal

Author: Bill

Ingredients

For the chicken:

8 ounces boneless skinless chicken thighs or breast (sliced or cut into small ½-inch/1cm chunks)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon soy sauce

For the rice:

3 tablespoons neutral oil (plus more for frying eggs and shallots)
1 small onion (diced; about ⅔ cup)
2 cloves chopped garlic
3 Thai bird's eye chilies (chopped, optional)
1-3 tablespoons shrimp paste see notes
1 tablespoon ketchup
4 cups cooked, cooled jasmine rice
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
3 tablespoons kecap manis
¼ teaspoon MSG (optional)
⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper
1 chopped scallion
½ teaspoon salt (optional, or to taste)

For the toppings:

⅓ cup shallots (thinly sliced and fried until crispy, or use pre-fried shallots; see notes)
Fried eggs
Sliced tomatoes
Sliced cucumbers

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a medium bowl, combine the chicken pieces, cornstarch, water, and soy sauce. Marinate for 20-30 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Heat the wok until just smoking and add 2 tablespoons of oil (if you’ve already fried your shallots for the topping, use the shallot frying oil). Sear the chicken until 80% done. Remove from the wok and set aside.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, along with the onions and garlic. For a spicier dish, you can also add the Thai chilies at this point (alternatively, add them at the end with the scallions). Stir-fry for 1 minute, or just until the onions are translucent. Next, add the shrimp paste and ketchup. Increase the heat to high and fry the mixture for 20 seconds, or until fragrant.
Add the cooked rice and stir-fry until everything’s well distributed, using your metal wok spatula to scrape any rice that’s starting to stick to the wok. Gently smash down any rice lumps to break them apart. Keep the wok on high and as you continue to stir-fry the rice, the hot wok will become more non-stick as the rice fries. Add the soy sauce, kecap manis, optional MSG, and white pepper. Stir-fry for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until the color is uniform.
Next, add the chicken and its juices to the rice and continue to stir-fry for another minute or until the chicken is heated through. Stir in the scallions and the chopped Thai chilies (if you didn’t add them earlier). Taste for seasoning, and add salt if needed.
Plate the rice, and top with fried shallots, a fried egg, and the sliced tomato and cucumber. The eggs can be served sunny side up or over-easy, depending on your preference but the egg is traditionally cooked so the yolk is still runny. Serve!

Notes

On shrimp paste: You can use any type of shrimp paste we outlined at the beginning of the post, though they have varying degrees of salt, heat, and pungency. If you are unsure or new to shrimp paste and using more pungent shrimp pastes, like the terasi, belacan blocks, or Chinese shrimp sauce, start with 1 tablespoon.

Use the prepared condiments (like Ginsiang Bagoong, or the Thai shrimp paste condiments) for a milder shrimp flavor. If using a prepared condiment, you can add it gradually to taste. With the Pantai Thai Shrimp Paste with Soya Bean Oil, I use the full 3 tablespoons! You can also use a smaller amount, and people who like the flavor can add these condiments on top of their rice.

To fry shallots: Heat 1 to 2 cups of oil in a small pot until the thermometer reads 250 deg F. Place the sliced shallots into the oil and spread the strands apart with chopsticks. Let the shallot fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until they turn a very light brown. Avoid frying them at too high a temperature or until they’re too dark or they will burn. Transfer them to a paper towel on a plate, spreading them out and let cool until the turn slightly crispy and set aside.

Nutrition