Dutch Staple: Nasi Goreng or Indonesian Fried Rice

by amvandenhurk | Dinner

The Dutch Dinner Staple: Nasi Goreng or Indonesian Fried Rice

Nasi Goreng or Indonesian fried rice is a weekly staple on Dutch tables. While it is Indonesian, it has become as Dutch as frites and frite saus.  It is a spicy flavorful rice dish full of crunchy vegetables. It can be made with chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, or tofu. This fried rice dish is very versatile allowing for flexibility depending on your mood or what you have in your fridge. The seasoning is what makes it delicious.

In The Netherlands, these ingredients are on every grocery store shelve. Making this dish will require you to make a trip to an Asians grocery store pick up the spices or visit Amazon to order them. Sorry about that, but it is worth it. Key ingredients are boemboe sate spice mix, sambal oelek (ground fresh chili paste), and kecap manis (sweet soy sauce). Boemboe sate spice mix is very hard to find in the US and the next time I am at my local Asian grocery store I will check to see if it is offered, so I would offer up the Dutch brand Conimex’s Satay Marinade mix.

We usually make Nasi Goreng with chicken. I start always by making the marinade for the chicken. Lucky for me, I have access to boemboe sate, so I mix it with sambal oelek, garlic, and kecap manis then add the chicken. To be honest, I have never measured out anything in this recipe outside of the making the rice. It is always by sight and feeling. Best to use crunchy veggies such as onions, leeks, peppers, peas, bean sprouts, and cabbage in this recipe.

When serving Nasi Goreng, I like to serve it with additional sambal oelek and kecap manis. Also, we like to add peanut sauce or pinda satesaus. I do not make mine for scratch yet. I use Conimex’s pinda satesaus which is add hot water and mix.

* The links to Amazon are affiliate links.

Nasi Goreng or Indonesian Fried Rice Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 Chicken Breasts, cubed
• 2 heaping tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 heaping tablespoon boemboe sate
• 1 heaping tablespoon sambal oelek
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup kecap manis
• 2 cups rice
• 4 cups water
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 6 -8 green onions, sliced
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup bean sprouts

Preparation

• Make marinade for chicken by combing garlic, boemboe sate, sambal oelek, and kecap manis in a covered dish. If using the mix then follow the directions.
• Cube chicken breasts and combine with the marinate refrigerating for at least an hour.
• Bring 4 cups of water to boil then add rice and then covering turning down the heat to low cooking for 25 minutes.
• Prepare vegetables.
• Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven or wok over medium.
• Add vegetables cooking until softened seasoning with salt and pepper.
• Add chicken with marinate cooking for about 10-12 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.
• Add cooked rice combining well with the chicken and vegetables.

Serves 4-6.