Indonesian nasi-goreng

What you’ll need:
– White rice
– Shallots
– Garlic
– Cucumber
– Tomatoes
– Terasi (Shrimp paste)
– Sambal
– Ketjap Manis
– Soy sauce
– Eggs
– Chicken
– Prawn crackers
– MSG
– Salt

Step 1: Preparing your chicken
– Add your sliced up chicken to a bowl or container
– Cut up some garlic and a shallot and add them to your bowl/container
– Add some soy sauce
– Add some ketjap manis
– Finish off with a sprinkle of MSG
– Mix everything up
– Close the lid or cover your bowl and set in the fridge overnight

Step 2: The rice
– Add your rice to a pan
– Wash your rice several times in cold water (the water doesn’t need to be completely clear. I like to rinse my rice about 5 times)
– Add an appropriate amount of water using the finger method or flat hand method. (I prefer the flat hand method since it tends to be a little more accurate)
– Put your pan on the stove and turn the heat on medium. You’ll want to slowly steam your rice, not ‘aggressively’ boil it
– Stir every few minutes until your rice is fully cooked
– Turn of the heat and leave your pan on the stove with the lid on
– Fluff up your rice with a fork every once in a while until the rice has mostly cooled down
– Keep your pan covered and set in the fridge, preferably overnight

Step 3: Finishing your nasi goreng
– Take your cold rice out of the fridge and break it up with your hands or a fork so there are no clumps
– Heat up some oil in a wok or large pan over medium-high heat.
– Add sliced shallots and minced garlic, and cook until golden
– Add a small amount of terasi (shrimp paste). It’s strong, so start with a little
– Add a spoonful of sambal (adjust to your spice tolerance)
– Toss in your marinated chicken and stir-fry until cooked through and starting to brown
– Add your cold rice to the pan. Stir everything together
– Season with ketjap manis and some soy sauce. Taste and adjust
– Add a pinch of MSG if you want to boost that umami
– Keep stir-frying until the rice is hot, coated, and slightly crispy

Step 4: Serving
– Fry an egg sunny-side up or a boiled egg and place it on top of the nasi goreng
– Add some sliced cucumber and tomato on the side for freshness and add a little salt if you’d like
– Throw a handful of prawn crackers (kroepoek) on the plate for crunch

Note: I’m not Indonesian, but I love learning about traditional dishes and made this based on research, input from others, and with full respect for its roots.