Nasi Goreng with Crispy Shallots

If you’ve ever been to Bali, then I imagine you’ll have eaten nasi goreng. It’s a very tasty (and nice and simple) fried rice dish, that makes a very tasty lunch with served with a fried egg and crispy shallots on top. I really like home-made crispy shallots - and will make myself fried rice, just as an excuse to make them! Kecap manis is the one ingredient you might not have in your store cupboard, but it’s widely available and worth buying a bottle. It’s a type of sweet soy sauce, so if you can’t find it you can always make your own!

Serves 2

For the crispy shallots
A couple of shallots, finely chopped
Sunflower oil for frying

For the nasi goreng
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 red chilli, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
handful of chopped chorizo, or raw chicken, or tofu (optional)
handful of chopped green beans (optional)
2 tablespoons kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
200g of basmati rice, cooked and cooled. (200g before cooking, ~300g after cooking)

First, make the crispy shallots:

1. Heat up about 1cm of sunflower oil in a small sauce pan over a high heat. Once hot, add the chopped shallots, in small batches. Use a slotted spoon or spider to remove them from the oil once they start to go brown. Put them into a baking tray lined with kitchen roll to absorb the excess oil. They will continue to get darker after you remove them from the oil so make sure you get them out soon enough!

   
   Then make the nasi goreng

2. Heat up a couple of tablespoons of the shallot oil (from above) in a wok. Add the garlic and chilli and stir for a few seconds.

3. Add the onion and stir fry for a couple of minutes.

4. Add the meat / tofu & green beans (if using) and cook for a further few minutes. I used chorizo. It’s not a traditional Indonesian addition but reminds of stir-fries in Singapore with delicious spicy sausage.

5. Add the cold, cooked rice and 2 tablespoons of kecap manis. Stir well, still over a high heat.

6. Cook until the sauce starts to caramelise then remove from the heat.

7. Serve with a fried egg, crispy shallots, pickled chillies and fresh veg on the side.