Every few months, My son gets obsessed with a new country. Last year it was Canada (We even bought a Canadian Flag & all that), then Brazil & currently its Indonesia :) He was googling for Indonesian recipes & he came across this Fried Rice recipe & asked me to make it for him
This looked like an easy one, pretty much like the regular Fried Rice we make, except that this one uses a Red Chilli Paste called Sambal Oelek.
Nasi Goreng is a street style Fried Rice popular in Indonesia & Malaysia. I have of course made a vegetarian version of this more suitable to our palate.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Basmati Rice
- Half Cup Jasmine Rice
- 1 large Onion - Sliced lengthwise
- 1 large Carrot - Peeled & cut into strips
- 1 cup shredded Cabbage
- A handful of Green Beans - chopped
- Half cup Sweet Corn - Optional
- 1 bunch Spring Onions - Chopped
- 2 tablespoon chopped Cilantro (Optional)
- 5-6 cloves of Garlic
- 1 teaspoon grated Ginger
- 2 tablespoon roasted & halved Peanuts
- 2-3 tablespoon Sesame Oil
- Salt as per Taste
Other Ingredients
(See Notes for Measurements)
- Sambal Oelek - Red Chilli paste *
- Soy Sauce
- Vinegar
Cooking Rice
Wash Rice in several changes of water & soak for 10-15 minutes
In a large pot, boil 6-7 cups of water along with a tablespoon of oil & Salt. When the water comes to a rolling boil, Drain the rice & add it into the water & let it cook for 6-7 minutes until the rice is al dente
Turn off the stove & drain the rice carefully into a colander & place it under cold running water. Set it aside to drain. When all the water is drained, transfer the cooked rice into a wide plate & keep it inside the fridge for atleast 30 minutes
Making Fried Rice
In a heavy bottomed Wok, heat oil. Add Garlic, Ginger & onions & sauté for 2 minutes
Add Carrots & Green beans along with some salt & sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Add shredded cabbage & sweet corn & continue sautéing until the veggies are cooked but crunchy.
Add Soy Sauce, Sambal Oelek & vinegar. Take out the rice from the fridge & add it into the wake & mix well. Adjust the taste of Soy Sauce, Sambal Oelek & vinegar until you get the right balance of flavor. Add salt id needed
Add roasted peanuts & give it a good mix. Add chopped Cilantro & Spring Onions & mix right before serving
What Kind of Rice to Use
Jasmine Rice is what is typically used in Asian Fried Rice recipes. But I like to use 1 part Long grained Basmati Rice as the rice grains stay separate & is not sticky.
A Day Old Rice Works Best
For any kind of Fried Rice, A day old Rice world best as the Rice grains are firm enough not to break when there is some vigorous mixing going on.
If you can plan in advance, make the rice the previous night & keep it in the fridge or prepare rice in the morning, if you plan to make fried rice for dinner
If the plan was an impromptu one, like mine always is, put it it in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Sometimes, I also put it in the freezer for 15 minutes & then take it off :)
Before putting it in the fridge, make sure the rice is cooled completely
Measurements for Soy Sauce, Sambal Oelek & Vinegar
Honestly, it is very difficult to give out exact measurements for these. Because, everyone likes a different spice level. I start out by adding a tablespoon of each of these & then adjust the taste by adding extra teaspoons until I get the right balance between the spice, Salt & Tang
Ofcouse, We need more of Chilli Paste, less of Soy Sauce & even lesser amounts of Vinegar(Keep This in mind while adding the sauces)
What is Sambal Oelek
Sambal Oelek is Red Chilli Paste used in Asian Cooking. You can easily find it in most grocery stores or Asian stores or it can be easily made at home too
Replacement for Sambal Oelek
Sriracha Sauce is the closest replacement for Sambal Oelek. But Sriracha has sweet undertone unlike Sambal but yes, you can easily use it as a substitute
How is Nasi Goreng Served
Traditionally, Nasi Goreng is served with a Fried egg on top & a side of Tomato Wedges & slices of Cucumber
What Kind of Rice to Use
Jasmine Rice is what is typically used in Asian Fried Rice recipes. But I like to use 1 part Long grained Basmati Rice as the rice grains stay separate & is not sticky.
A Day Old Rice Works Best
For any kind of Fried Rice, A day old Rice world best as the Rice grains are firm enough not to break when there is some vigorous mixing going on.
If you can plan in advance, make the rice the previous night & keep it in the fridge or prepare rice in the morning, if you plan to make fried rice for dinner
If the plan was an impromptu one, like mine always is, put it it in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Sometimes, I also put it in the freezer for 15 minutes & then take it off :)
Before putting it in the fridge, make sure the rice is cooled completely
Measurements for Soy Sauce, Sambal Oelek & Vinegar
Honestly, it is very difficult to give out exact measurements for these. Because, everyone likes a different spice level. I start out by adding a tablespoon of each of these & then adjust the taste by adding extra teaspoons until I get the right balance between the spice, Salt & Tang
Ofcouse, We need more of Chilli Paste, less of Soy Sauce & even lesser amounts of Vinegar(Keep This in mind while adding the sauces)
What is Sambal Oelek
Sambal Oelek is Red Chilli Paste used in Asian Cooking. You can easily find it in most grocery stores or Asian stores or it can be easily made at home too
Replacement for Sambal Oelek
Sriracha Sauce is the closest replacement for Sambal Oelek. But Sriracha has sweet undertone unlike Sambal but yes, you can easily use it as a substitute
How is Nasi Goreng Served
Traditionally, Nasi Goreng is served with a Fried egg on top & a side of Tomato Wedges & slices of Cucumber
