Recipe: Chef Wayan’s Nasi Goreng Kampung

It’s fast, it’s easy, it’s an Indonesian classic. Potato Head’s executive chef Wayan Kresna Yasa gives us the low-down on how to make great nasi goreng at home.

Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 10-15 minutes

Nasi goreng is the king of stay-at-home meals – it’s quick, only requires a few ingredients and is a wonderful way to take steamed rice further. Potato Head’s executive chef Wayan Kresna Yasa grew up on the stuff. “My mum often made me nasi goreng in the morning using leftover rice from the day before,” he says. “The most basic element is good rice with great texture, then aromatics such as garlic and red shallots.”

He suggests adding thinly sliced greens for colour and crunch – but not too many. “For me the nasi is the star of the dish. I think five ingredients at a maximum.”

Serve it with a fried egg on top, or keep it plant-based and just opt for sambal.

Here’s the recipe.

Nasi Goreng Kampung Serves 2

Ingredients 2 tablespoons red shallots, minced 2 tablespoons garlic, minced 1 fresh Lombok or cayenne chilli pepper, thinly sliced 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 ½ cups cooked white, brown or red rice, cold from the fridge ¼ cup vegetables of your choice (cabbage, carrot, any leafy greens), finely sliced or shredded

For the seasoning 2 teaspoons sweet soy sauce 1 teaspoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup ½ teaspoon chilli powder

1 ½ tablespoons garlic powder Salt, to taste Coconut sugar, to taste

Method Heat a fry-pan over a medium flame, add oil. After two minutes, add red shallots, garlic and chilli. Sauté until fragrant, being careful not to let it burn. Then add the rice and stir or sauté until evenly cooked. Add the vegetables and continue cooking (add your leafy greens last so they don’t overcook and stay crisp). And then add all the seasoning elements and adjust to taste. Serve and enjoy hot, with a dollop of red sambal or your favourite hot sauce.

Chef Wayan’s Tips – This recipe works best with cold or room-temperature rice. – Adjust the heat as necessary while you’re cooking to make sure the rice doesn’t stick or burn. – Make sure the grains separate nicely. – Kecap (or sweet soy sauce) is a staple ingredient but can be substituted for palm sugar if you’re avoiding refined sugars. – If you can’t get your hands on Indonesian rice, jasmine or long-grain are the best substitutes.

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