The delicious Indonesian fried rice is traditionally known as Nasi Goreng. For a lot of people, you may wonder what exactly is Indonesian fried rice and how’s it different? The main difference is the sweet soy sauce, kecap manis, that is used and normally served with a sunny-side-up egg. The color added to the rice is a rich brown color and gives it a faintly sweeter taste than the more traditional fried rice that most are familiar with. 

Sweet soy sauce isn’t that hard to find as it is usually available in most major supermarkets; it may be displayed under the traditional name kecap manis. 

IMPORTANT! When making any fried rice dishes there are two steps normally left out which make a world of difference. First, make sure you rinse the rice before cooking. Second, make sure to refrigerate the rice overnight. 

The refrigerating of the rice is very important, it dries the rice out and prevents it from becoming soggy when making the fried rice allowing a better texture. It is possible to speed up the process by taking a baking tray and spreading it out in a thin layer. You can place that tray in the fridge to reduce the time or freezer for even faster cooling.

Indonesian Fried Rice Ingredients

Rice

• 3 cups cooked white rice (preferably refrigerated one day)
• 2 Tbsp. Sweet Soy sauce
• 1 Tsp. Red Chilli, diced
• 2 Tbsp Peanut or Vegetable Oil
• 2 Garlic Cloves, diced
• 1 Onion, diced

Chicken

• 6oz of chicken, cut to your liking (one large chicken breast should be adequate)
• 1 Tbsp Peanut or Vegetable Oil
• 1 Tbsp Sweet Soy Sauce

Extras

• Lime, wedges
• Tomatoes, chunked
• Cucumber, chunked
• Green Onion, diced
• 2 Tsp Shrimp Paste
• Eggs, Fried to liking

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a wok or skillet on high. 
2. Add garlic and chill, cook 15 secs
3. Add onion, cook 1 minute or translucent
4. Add chicken, cook until the meat is white all the way through
5. Add rice and sweet soy sauce, stir for 2-3 minutes

The refrigerating of the rice is not needed but really adds a lot to the dish, but it isn’t required. I make this dish at least once a week in a double or triple batch. It keeps very well and makes an excellent snack or meal throughout the workweek.