Nasi Goreng with Sweet Soy Sauce & Fried Egg
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Instructions 👩🍳
Step-by-step:
- Prepare the rice: Use cooked rice that has been cooled and kept refrigerated until needed. Loosen any clumps so the grains can fry separately. Refer to the illustrated recipe for the exact details.
- Cut the aromatics: Finely chop the garlic, shallots and chilli. Prepare the cucumber for serving.
- Fry the flavour base: Stir-fry the garlic, shallots and chilli in oil until fragrant, without letting the garlic burn.
- Fry and season the rice: Add the rice, soy sauce and kecap manis. Toss and turn until the seasoning is evenly distributed and the rice is steaming throughout.
- Add the fried eggs: Fry the eggs and serve them over the Nasi Goreng with the prepared cucumber.
Nasi Goreng with sweet soy sauce, chili and a fried egg
A sizzling pan of rice, sweet soy sauce and a fried egg on top: Nasi Goreng makes a satisfying dinner from simple ingredients. Garlic, shallots and chili give it plenty of flavor. Add cool cucumber on the side and bring the pan straight to the table.
Why the two soy sauces matter
Regular soy sauce gives the rice savory saltiness. Kecap manis is thicker and sweet, coating the grains with a darker, richer flavor. They work together here, so replacing the sweet sauce with more regular soy sauce would make the rice saltier without giving the same result.
Garlic, shallots and chili make the fragrant base. The fried egg adds richness, while cucumber gives each mouthful a cool, crisp contrast. Wash the cucumber before cutting and keep raw egg away from it. Cook the egg until both white and yolk are firm.
Give the rice room in the pan
Cold rice is easier to separate into individual grains. Loosen clumps gently before frying, then leave enough space to lift and turn the rice without crushing it. An overcrowded pan traps moisture and makes even heating harder. Lower the heat if the garlic or sweet sauce starts to catch.
Cool cooked rice quickly in shallow portions, ideally within an hour, and refrigerate promptly. Use it within 24 hours. Frying it counts as reheating: heat rice only once again, until steaming hot throughout, and serve immediately. Rice left out overnight is unsuitable; frying cannot reliably make badly stored rice safe.
Have everything within reach
Set the sauces and chopped aromatics beside the stove before heating the pan. A broad spatula helps you lift the rice instead of mashing it. For a larger meal, fry in smaller batches so the pan stays manageable.
Optional vegetables or extra protein
Small carrot pieces, peas or sliced scallions add variety. Cook any added vegetables as their product requires. Fully cooked chicken or shrimp can join the rice too; heat them thoroughly with it and keep their flavor secondary to the garlic and sweet soy sauce.
Serve while the rice is hot
Keep the cucumber ready and add it to the plate with the fried egg. If you feel like another warm Indonesian meal, try Bakso meatball soup. Its noodles, broth and fried onions make a comforting bowl for a different evening.
Chill the rice in meal-sized portions
Store properly cooled rice covered in the refrigerator and take out only what you plan to fry. Prepare the cucumber and eggs for those portions. This keeps dinner straightforward and avoids needing another reheating round for leftover fried rice.
Frequently asked questions
Does the rice have to be a day old?
No. Freshly cooked rice works once quickly cooled and refrigerated. Use chilled rice within 24 hours.
Can I use only regular soy sauce?
It will taste different. Kecap manis supplies sweetness as well as color; more regular soy sauce mainly adds salt.
Do I need chicken or shrimp?
No. The rice, seasonings, egg and cucumber make this version. Extra protein is optional.
Can I heat leftover Nasi Goreng again?
Frying the cooked rice is already its reheating. Reheat rice only once, so fry the portion you plan to eat.
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