Nasi Goreng
Serves: 4
Time: 20 minutes
I am a huge fan of all Asian Cuisine, I know that’s possibly too broad a comment but I’m running with it, and because we can’t be dining out in restaurants or cafes at the moment I have instead been bringing some of my fav’s into the kitchen. Popular in the eastern suburbs cafes for brunch is Nasi Goreng, which may seem a bit of an odd choice for breakfast but is actually frickin delicious. I’m not often in the mood for traditional eggs and bacon so this is one of my go-to choices when I see it on a brunch menu. Sydney folk, when all is back to normal Barzura in Coogee have it on the menu and it’s epic! Traditionally though it is a dinner and gets eaten as a leftover for breakfast, so for today it’s a dinner meal in our house.
Leftovers
I love this meal as a leftovers lunch the next day, but if you are back at work and travelling this meal, then I suggest if you want to have an egg with lunch, flip your egg and chop it up then add through the mix.
What you'll need
1 brown onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 small piece of ginger
2 tablespoons of shrimp paste
1 1/2 cups of brown rice
5 rashers of middle bacon
1 large carrot
3 pieces of celery
1 red pepper
1/2 cup of frozen peas
1 spring onion
1 lime
1/4 cup of roasted peanuts
From the Pantry
2 tablespoons of coconut oil
2 teaspoons of soy or sweet soy (kecap manis)
Salt and Pepper
Pre Cook Rice
This dish becomes a super quick meal if you have pre cooked your rice. If you didn't have time to cook your rice beforehand, then once you have strained your rice spread it out on an oven tray so that it can cool down quicker, stir regularly to release any steam. once cool pop it in the fridge for a while uncovered, this will dry it out.
Prep and Cook
Preheat Oven to 1eighty
Cook Rice
Did you prep ahead this week?
Place rice in a pot with 6-8 cups of water and a large pinch of salt.
Pop on a lid and bring it up to the boil, then remove the lid and continue to cook until soft to the bite (it is important to taste check as you go)approx 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat and strain off the water then spread out on an oven tray to cool.
Cook Bacon
Line an oven tray with baking paper and lay the bacon out flat on top with enough space to not be touching and cook evenly.
Place in the oven to cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Prep Veg
Peel and dice onion, peel and finely grate the garlic and ginger.
Peel the carrot and cut into a dice roughly the size of your little fingernail.
Wash and chop celery to a similar size.
Slice red pepper in half and remove the seeds, then cut to a similar size.
Finely slice your spring onion.
Wash and roughly chop coriander, stalks and all.
Cook Nasi
Heat a large wok or frying pan with 2 tablespoons of coconut oil.
Add the onions garlic and ginger and saute until translucent.
Add the shrimp paste and cook for at least 1 minute so the paste can permeate, it will also darken in colour.
Add the carrots, celery and capsicum and cook until they have begun to soften.
Add the rice and stir till well to combine.
Add Soy sauce and mix to combine.
Chop the bacon into rough slithers and add to the mix along with the peanuts and 3/4 of both your spring onion and coriander.
Add the peas and season well with salt and pepper.
Once the rice is hot right through, remove from the heat.
Cook Eggs
While you are working the rice start to cook your eggs.
Heat a small non-stick frypan with a teaspoon of coconut oil. Once hot crack your eggs into the pan and cook for 60 seconds, I like my yolk a little firmer so I pop a lid over.
Plate it Pretty
Serve rice up onto plates, scatter over the remaining herbs and top with a fried egg.
If you wanted to plate it more traditional you could scoop the rice into a large mug as a mould, then turn the mug out onto a plate.
Enjoy!
Lunch Tomorrow
Lunch is exactly the same as dinner. If you are going to have an egg you might prefer to flip it so its cooked through and slice it up, then add to the rice.