Favorite Nasi Goreng

Nasi goreng is Indonesia’s answer to fried rice, and like all great fried rice, it starts with cold, slightly underdone rice. Freshly cooked rice steams and clumps; chilled grains fry up separate and toasty.

Two pantry staples give this dish its signature flavor. Kecap manis, a thick sweet soy sauce, brings dark caramel notes, while sambal delivers the chili heat that wakes everything up.

The method is fast once your prep is done. Onion softens first, then celery, garlic, ginger, sambal, curry, and kecap manis go in to bloom for a couple of minutes.

Green pepper and shredded cabbage follow for crunch, then shrimp and diced chicken, and finally the rice gets stir-fried until it turns light brown and a little crisp at the edges.

Chef Tips

• Use day-old refrigerated rice if you can; cold, dry grains are the secret to fried rice that isn’t gummy.
• Keep everything moving in the wok over high heat so the rice toasts instead of steaming.
• Have all ingredients chopped and within reach before you start, since the cooking itself takes only minutes.

Variations

• Crown each serving with a fried egg, the traditional Indonesian way, and let the runny yolk sauce the rice.
• Swap in leftover pork, ham, or lamb for the chicken, as the recipe suggests.
• Garnish with sliced cucumber, fried shallots, and a wedge of lime for a restaurant-style finish.