Nasi Goreng (Indo-Dutch Fried Rice)
Nasi goreng
The fried rice that came home from the Indies and became Dutch — day-old rice wok-tossed with a spiced bumbu, ketjap manis, chicken and prawns, crowned with a fried egg.
IBread & the Broodmaaltijd- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Intermediate
No account of Dutch food is honest without the rijsttafel and the dishes it left behind, and none is more beloved than nasi goreng. Carried home from the Dutch East Indies — today's Indonesia — by colonial families and, after independence, by the Indo community who made the Netherlands their home, fried rice became one of the most-cooked dishes in the country. You will find a packet of nasi seasoning in nearly every Dutch supermarket and a fried egg on nearly every plate.
Respect the origin
It matters to say plainly: this is an Indonesian dish. Its presence on the Dutch table is a legacy of empire, and the best way to honour it is to cook it well and name where it comes from. The bumbu — the pounded paste of shallot, garlic, chilli and shrimp paste — is the technique that makes it sing, and it is pure Indonesian kitchen craft.
The Dutch signature
What the Netherlands added was mostly habit: the ubiquitous fried egg on top, the kroepoek on the side, and the role of nasi goreng as the thing you make on a Monday from the weekend's leftover rice. Use cold rice, keep the wok fierce, and let the ketjap manis lacquer every grain.
“Cold, day-old rice is non-negotiable — fresh rice steams and clumps. Spread it out the night before so it dries and the grains stay separate in the wok.”
Ingredients
Serves 4
The bumbu (spice paste)
- 3shallots
- 3garlic cloves
- 2red chillies — or 1 tbsp sambal oelek
- 1 tsptrassi (shrimp paste) — toasted
- 1 tspground coriander
The rice
- 300 glong-grain rice — cooked, cooled overnight
- 2chicken thighs — diced
- 150 gpeeled prawns
- 3 tbspketjap manis — sweet soy
- 2eggs — beaten, plus more to fry
- 2spring onions — sliced
- 3 tbspneutral oil
To finish
- 4fried eggs
- to servekroepoek (prawn crackers)
- to servefried shallots and sliced cucumber
Method
- 1
Pound the bumbu
Blend or pound the shallots, garlic, chillies, toasted trassi and coriander to a rough paste. This bumbu is the flavour engine — don't skip the trassi, which gives the deep savoury note.
- 2
Sear the proteins
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok over high heat. Cook the chicken until golden, add the prawns for a minute until just pink, and set both aside.
- 3
Fry the paste
Add the rest of the oil and fry the bumbu 2–3 minutes until fragrant and the raw edge is gone. Push it to the side, pour in the beaten egg and scramble, then break it up.
- 4
Toss the rice
Add the cold rice and toss over high heat so every grain is coated and lightly toasted. Return the chicken and prawns, pour over the ketjap manis and toss until glossy and even. Fold through the spring onions.
- 5
Crown and serve
Pile into bowls, top each with a fried egg, and finish with kroepoek, fried shallots and cucumber.
In the kitchen
The tools that make this recipe easier.
- WorthwhileCarbon-steel wok ↗
For nasi goreng, bami, and quick Indo stir-fries.
- WorthwhileStone mortar (cobek) ↗
To pound bumbu spice pastes for the rijsttafel.
- WorthwhileFish / filleting knife ↗
Thin flexible blade for herring, mackerel, and eel.
Building the bread meal
The Dutch lunch is a spread, not a dish — bread and a parade of toppings.
- Jonge & belegen kaas — young and aged Gouda, sliced thin
- Hagelslag — chocolate sprinkles for the sweet slice
- Boiled egg & ham — the savoury half of the board
- Karnemelk — a glass of cold buttermilk
Questions from the kitchen
What makes it Indo-Dutch rather than Indonesian?+
Nasi goreng travelled to the Netherlands with returning colonials and Indo families and became a Dutch weeknight staple, often served with a fried egg and eaten far from its origins. The roots are firmly Indonesian.
Can I leave out the shrimp paste?+
You can, but it's the soul of the dish. If you must, add a little extra ketjap and a dash of fish sauce for depth.
Nasi or bami?+
Nasi goreng is fried rice; bami goreng is the same treatment with egg noodles. Many Dutch tables serve both side by side.
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