Indonesian Nasi Goreng, the Street Way
Nasi goreng is Indonesian fried rice made with cold day-old rice — fresh rice goes sticky — stir-fried over high heat with garlic, shallots, chilli and kecap manis (thick sweet soy), and served with a fried egg on top, cucumber and tomato.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Calories
- 470
Nasi goreng is Indonesia's number-one street food and gets eaten at any hour, breakfast included. The one rule: the rice has to be cold and dry from the day before.
Method
-
1
Break up the rice
Rub the cold rice through your fingers until every grain separates. Clumped rice won't fry properly.
⏱ 5 min -
2
The aromatic paste
Grind the garlic, shallots and chillies (and the shrimp paste if you have it) into a paste, and fry it in the oil over medium heat for two minutes until fragrant.
⏱ 7 min -
3
The protein
Add the chicken or prawns and stir over high heat until cooked.
⏱ 5 min -
4
Rice and sauce
Add the loosened rice and stir hard over the highest heat, then pour in the kecap manis and soy and stir for three minutes until every grain takes the brown colour.
⏱ 6 min -
5
Egg and serving
Fry the eggs separately with the yolk still runny. Serve the rice with an egg on top and cucumber and tomato slices beside it.
⏱ 5 min
Cooked it? Rate it
Your rating tells the next cook whether this recipe is worth their time.
✓ Thanks — your rating is in.
Tips that actually matter
- Day-old rice isn't a preference — it's a requirement. Fresh rice holds moisture and goes pasty.
- Kecap manis is the soul of the dish; if you can't get it, mix soy sauce with molasses or brown sugar 1:1.
- High heat and a wide pan — crowded rice steams instead of frying.
People also ask
No kecap manis?
Mix 3 tablespoons of soy sauce with 2 of molasses or brown sugar and heat until thickened. Very close to the original.
Can I use fresh rice?
Spread it on a tray and chill it uncovered for at least two hours to dry out — a quick stand-in for day-old rice.
Can I make it vegetarian?
Yes — swap the protein for fried tofu or vegetables, and leave out the shrimp paste.
Cook mode
Indonesian Nasi Goreng, the Street Way
-
1
Break up the rice
Rub the cold rice through your fingers until every grain separates. Clumped rice won't fry properly.
-
2
The aromatic paste
Grind the garlic, shallots and chillies (and the shrimp paste if you have it) into a paste, and fry it in the oil over medium heat for two minutes until fragrant.
-
3
The protein
Add the chicken or prawns and stir over high heat until cooked.
-
4
Rice and sauce
Add the loosened rice and stir hard over the highest heat, then pour in the kecap manis and soy and stir for three minutes until every grain takes the brown colour.
-
5
Egg and serving
Fry the eggs separately with the yolk still runny. Serve the rice with an egg on top and cucumber and tomato slices beside it.
Comments
Cooked it? Tell us how it went, or ask a question — we read every comment.