Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)
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Category
Dinner
Cuisine
Indonesian
Servings
4
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Nasi Goreng is Indonesia's famous fried rice: smoky, sweet, savoury, and a little bit addictive.
It's quick to make with day-old rice, seasoned with kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) for that signature caramel colour and flavour.
Always served with a fried egg on top, it's the kind of comfort food that works any time of day: breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Ingredients
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4 cups cold cooked jasmine rice (about 600 g)
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2 tablespoon neutral oil
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2 teaspoon soy sauce
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2 tablespoon kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
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Optional: shrimp paste (terasi) or dried shrimp
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Fried eggs (sunny-side up)
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Fresh cucumber and tomato slices
Directions
Ensure your rice is cold and preferably day-old (or freeze for 1–2 hours, or chill for 3–4 hours) — this gives the best texture for frying.
Heat oil in a wok or pan.
Add rice, break up any clumps, and stir-fry briefly.
Add soy sauce and kecap manis. Stir until rice turns rich caramel brown.
(Optional) Mix in shrimp paste for extra umami.
Serve hot with a fried egg on top.
Add cucumber and tomato slices on the side for freshness.
Recipe Note
For the best results, always use cold, day-old rice. Freshly cooked rice is too soft and will turn mushy when stir-fried. If you don’t have day-old rice, spread freshly cooked rice on a tray and refrigerate for 3–4 hours, or freeze for 1–2 hours, to dry it out before cooking.
Optional but authentic: add shrimp paste (terasi) for a real Indonesian flavour boost.