Nasi Goreng or Indonesian Fried rice

Yesterday I posted a great banana roll up recipes reminiscent of what you may find on a warm tropical island. Today, I decided to stick with the island theme and post this recipe for Nasi Goreng, or Fried Rice Indonesian style.

Now, I love to cook. I would rather spend my days in the kitchen covered in edible soot (flour/sugar or the like), then say, be outside gardening. (Although I do love to garden as well.) However, with 4 kids and a business that I run out of my home, sometimes a girl has to have something quick and easy. That looks gourmet, and like it took a lot of sweat and tears to create. Enter Nasi Goreng.

I first learned of this exotic sounding meal from my husband, who in the 90's, was the first person to cross the island of Papua New Guinea without the use of motors. Allow me to pause here for a shameless plug for the book about their adventure. It was written with the use of my husband's carefully detailed journals, by his travel buddy Joel Kramer. It's a good edge-of-your-seat-yet-quick read! You can get it anywhere, but here's a link to reviews online Beyond Fear, a Harrowing Journey across New Guinea. Trust me when I say it will NOT disappoint you.

Ok,now that you've bought a great book, back to food! So, my handsome and adventurous husband ate this (among other things like pig poop, bugs and bat brains) in order to survive in the jungle. Obviously, of those things listed, the Nasi Goreng sounds like the only one I want to recreate for my family :) He remembers it being the most delicious thing he's eaten in a while.... but of course it was, look at the other things on that jungle menu!

I've tried over the course of many years to recreate the dish to no avail. By his standard, there is always something not quite right. I've tried little bag mixes, box mixes, you name it! He's tried it in Belgium and Holland, only to be disappointed.Until now.

I was googling recipes one day and came across this baby on Food.com.
I've tweaked it below, but let me tell you the results were fantastic. And fast. And delicious. I made it veggie since we were out of meat, (I really need to get to the store) but no one missed it. It was THAT good.

I served it with a bag of frozen pot stickers that I steamed. Remember that I cook for a hungry crowd. If your crowd is smaller, just cut this in half. Unless you want to freeze leftovers for another time.

Nasi Goreng

4 C cooked rice (I actually used sushi rice, but you can use basmani as well)

1 onion chopped small 

3 stalks sliced celery 

2 peeled, diced carrots/ few pieces broccoli

1/2 C shredded cabbage 

(You can also replace veggies with a bag of frozen ones!)

2 cloves garlic , crushed

 2 chicken stock cube

1/2-1 tsp. crushed red pepper

4 Tbsp. Ketsup Manaese (or ABC Sweet Soy sauce found at Asian stores)

 1 tablespoon coriander seed

5 Tbsp. butter or olive oil

2 eggs for the omelet to decorate the top

Heat the oil in a skillet or Wok. Add onions, celery, and carrots other veggies. Salt and pepper these, or use plain soy sauce.

 

Add garlic, the bullion cubes, coriander, and red pepper. Cook 2 min. more until translucent. 

Add the Sweet Soy sauce (It's thick and red, like ketchup!) Cook for another 2-3 minutes.

 

 Now add the rice, turning carefully to coat and mix thoroughly.

Use a metal bowl and PACK the rice into it. Allow it to rest for a few minutes while you cook your omelet in the pan Scramble 2 eggs and cook so that they are still 1 large disk (like an omelet).

Once done, turn the metal bowl of rice over onto serving platter and tap gently (or pound!) until it releases. Slip the omelet onto the top, and serve (and pretend you are on that exotic tropical island of Indonesia or Papua New Guinea) Oh! Almost forgot! It never hurts to add a little green sprig when serving. We added the pot stickers around the sides and top along with some fresh celery.Yum!