Nasi Goreng – Indonesian fried rice with Prawns
No More Mr. Rice Guy
What is Nasi Goreng – Indonesian fried rice?
Nasi Goreng – Indonesian fried rice is probably the most widely known Indonesian dish and it is loved across the world. Imagine rice stir-fried with a medley of bold spices, sweet soy sauce, and often topped with a fried egg, all delivering a savoury-sweet punch of flavour in every bite.
You’ll love Nasi Goreng if…
… you want to up your fried-rice game. Nasi goreng is the ultimate comfort food with an irresistible, smoky twist that will have you coming back for seconds.
If you’re looking for a restrained, minimalist plate of food, Nasi Goreng is Not It.
Nasi Goreng embraces maximalism. It’s a riot of colours, punchy flavours, vibrant textures. It’s the life of the party.
‘But what if you’re at a fried rice party?’ you ask. Well, firstly, what is a fried rice party and how can I get invited? Secondly, Nasi Goreng is no wallflower rice. It’s got the secret sauce that no other fried rice can boast of – kecap manis, which is an Indonesian sweet soy sauce. Kecap Manis gives it that characteristic sweet, savoury flavour profile. It also brought to the party terasi (Indonesian shrimp paste) which gives it it’s distinct smokey, umami flavour.
Nasi Goreng will bring the party to you. You just need to bring the spoon.
Gather the Ingredients
Marinate and Cook the Prawns
Mix large peeled prawns with cooking oil and Indonesian sambal terasi or sambal oelek (you can use store-bought or get the Chef’s special Indonesian sambal recipe here). Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Leave to marinate for 15 minutes.
Grill the prawns in a non stick pan, chop and put aside.
Sauté the Ingredients
Add the chopped vegetables to a pan and sauté. Add the rice, kecup manis, dark soy sauce and sambal and and mix through. Cook for another couple of minutes and then add the cooked prawns.
Serve and Enjoy!
Serve with the cherry tomato and cucumber batons garnish, some lime and a fried egg on top.
- You can adjust the spiciness by omitting the extra red chillies or by using bell peppers instead.
- Substitute prawns for any other meat, if you like. It works well with beef and chicken as well.
- You can use store bought vegan sambal oelek, or omit it completely, and add tofu or tempeh instead of prawn to make this vegan. See FAQ section.
Prawn Nasi Goreng – Indonesian fried rice
Equipment
- large non stick frying pan or wok
Ingredients
Prawn Marinade
- 400 grams of large prawns peeled
- 1 teaspoon cooking oil any variety
- 1 teaspoon Indonesian sambal terasi or sambal oelek you can use store-bought or get the Chef's special Indonesian sambal recipe here
For the Rice
- 2 cups day old cooked white rice
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup carrots chopped
- 1/2 cup green beans chopped
- 2 tablespoons garlic chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh green or red pepper chopped *can be substituted for bell peppers
- 1/2 cup red onion or shallots chopped
- 2 tablespoons Kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce) OR 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce and 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Indonesian sambal terasi or sambal oelek you can use store-bought or get the Chef's special Indonesian sambal recipe here
Garnish
- 1/2 cup cucumber batons
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 eggs
- 1 lime
Instructions
- Mix 400g of large peeled prawns in 1 teaspoon cooking oil (any variety), 1 teaspoon Indonesian sambal terasi or sambal oelek (you can use store-bought or get the Chef's special Indonesian sambal recipe here) and a pinch of salt and pepper. Leave to marinate for 15 minutes.
- Grill the prawns in a non stick pan on medium heat until they are cooked through and slightly charred on the outside. Remove and set aside. Once cooled, roughly chop the prawns.
- In the same non stick pan turn the heat up to high and add 1 tablespoon oil. Add the chopped vegetables – 1/2 cup carrots, 1/2 cup green beans, 2 tablespoons garlic, 1 teaspoon fresh green or red pepper (can be substituted for bell peppers to reduce the spiciness), 1/2 cup red onion or shallots.
- Sauté until they are slightly browned and cooked through, around 2-3 minutes. Add 2 cups day old cooked white rice and sauté for another minute, stirring so it combines well with the vegetables.
- Add 2 tablespoons kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) (OR 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce and 1 tablespoon honey instead of the kecap manis), 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sambal terasi or sambal oelek and mix through until the rice is evenly a dark brown colour. Cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add the chopped prawns and mix through. Cook for another 20 seconds.
- Take off the heat and serve with the cherry tomato and cucumber batons garnish and a fried egg on top.
Video
Notes
FAQ
How do I make Nasi Goreng vegan?
To make a vegan version of Nasi Goreng – Indonesian fried rice, simply omit any eggs and meat. Use tofu or tempeh as a protein substitute, and make sure to use a plant-based kecap manis or a soy sauce-sugar mix. Use a vegan store-bought sambal oelek.
What type of rice is best?
Dry-boiling rice like jasmine or basmati is ideal for Nasi Goreng. Freshly cooked rice can be too moist, so it’s best to use rice that has been cooked and refrigerated for a few hours or preferably for a whole day. This prevents clumping and ensures a good fry.
What dishes go well with Nasi Goreng?
Nasi Goreng pairs beautifully with fried eggs and prawns as we have used in this recipe, and also satay skewers, and kerupuk (Indonesian crackers).
How do I adjust the spice level in Nasi Goreng?
The spice level in Nasi Goreng can be adjusted by altering the amount of chilli used. For a milder version, reduce the amount of fresh or dried chillies, or by using bell peppers instead of fresh chillies. You can make the Indonesian sambal less spicy if you’re making it at home, or omit it completely.
