Nasi Goreng

I love Indonesian food because it's packed full of flavours. One of my favourite dishes to make and eat is Nasi Goreng. Nasi Goreng is  an Indonesian Fried Rice that has a special paste added to it which gives it a unique flavour.  Easy to make if you have the ingredients (prepare the paste in advance), this dish tastes just as spectacular the next day.  In short, it's perfect if you like to carry home-made meals to work.

Here's how I make this delicacy-

Ingredients
For Paste
1/2 teaspoon tamarind pulp
4 small cloves garlic
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon oil
1/2 teaspoon palm sugar
1 teaspoon paprika (add more if you like pungent)
1/4 teaspoon white pepper powder
2 shallots finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon cooking vinegar
1/2 teaspoon shrimp paste (if you are vegetarian, you can skip this but it does change the authenticity of the dish)
1/4 teacup water
1/2 teaspoon salt

Grind the above and keep aside. You can refrigerate this in a glass container for a day.


For Nasi Goreng

1 glass Pandan Rice/ Jasmine Rice
1 teacup of shredded boiled chicken/raw gambas 15 pcs/ pea protein chunks 10-12 pcs/ tofu chunks 10-12 pcs
2 eggs if small or 1 big egg  (optional based on your diet)
1 tablespoon oil (I use sunflower)
1 carrot finely chopped, 1/2 cup green peas shelled and boiled, 1 green bell pepper chopped up, 1/2 cup finely chopped boiled green beans
1/2 cup finely shredded cabbage
1 small box full of mixed mushrooms (make sure you add torn up Shitake. They taste delicious)
1/2 cup sweet corn kernels boiled (frozen is fine)
1 red chili finely chopped
1 cup moong sprouted
1 tablespoon Kecap Manis (a sweet Indonesian soy sauce with a rich flavour)
1 teaspoon low salt Soya Sauce

Garnish - Fried onion (optional) & 1 spring onion (only the green part) finely chopped

Method

Make the rice and keep it aside to cool down.

Heat a wok over high flame, add 1/2 teaspoon oil and then break the eggs in.

You can choose to scramble the eggs like I have or you can make omelettes. It is your choice.

 Take them out and keep them on a plate.

Now, add the remaining oil and add the gambas or whatever protein you are using and stir-fry till almost cooked.  I used pea protein.

Add the mixed mushroom and stir-fry on high for about 8-10 minutes.

Add the vegetables mentioned above ( ie. 5,6,8 & 9) and chili, except the sprouted moong.

Stir-fry well and then add the paste after 5 minutes.

Keep stir- frying for about 10 -12  minutes on high heat.

Nothing quite like a steaming hot wok of Nasi Goreng :)

Add the rice and  mix everything.

Add the soya sauce and Kecap Manis and then the sprouted moong.

Stir-fry making sure everything is mixed well.

Top with the egg (scrambled or omelette)

I like to keep the finely chopped spring onions on the side so that people can take as much as they like. You can top this rice with fried onions but it tastes great even without it.

Enjoy!