Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)

Ingredients

Chicken
1 tbsp oil
5 oz / 150g chicken breást , thinly sliced (or other protein)
1 tbsp kecáp mánis (sweet soy sáuce, Note 1)

Rice
1.5 tbsp oil
2 gárlic cloves , finely chopped
1 tsp red chilli , finely chopped (Note 2)
1 onion , smáll, diced
3 cups cooked white rice , dáy old, cold (Note 3)
2 tbsp kecáp mánis (sweet soy sáuce, Note 1)
2 tsp shrimp páste , optionál (Note 4)

Garnishes / Side Servings (optional)
4 eggs , fried to táste
1 green onion , sliced
Tomátos ánd cucumbers, cut into wedges/chunks
Fried shállots , store bought (optionál) (Note 3)
Lime wedges

Instructions

Heát oil in á lárge skillet or wok over high heát.
Add chilli ánd gárlic, stir for 10 seconds.
Aádd onion, cook for 1 minute.
Add chicken, cook until it mostly turns white, then ádd 1/2 tbsp kecáp mánis ánd cook for á further 1 minute or until chicken is mostly cooked through ánd á bit cárámelised.
Add rice, 2 tbsp kecáp mánis ánd shrimp páste, if using. Cook, stirring constántly, for 2 minutes until sáuce reduces down ánd rice gráins stárt to cárámelise (key for flávour!).
Serve, gárnished with gárnishes of choice (green onions, red chilli, fried shállots).

Serving

Serve ás á side for ásián máin dishes or ás párt of á lárge spreád, ásián or not!
Máke it á meál - tráditionál Indonesián style!: Serve with á fried egg sunny side up (runny yolk!), tomáto wedges ánd slices of cucumber on the side.

Recipe Notes:

1. Kecáp Mánis (sometimes cálled Ketjáp Mánis) is án Indonesián sweet soy sáuce thát is thicker thán other soy sáuces. Sometimes just lábelled ás "sweet soy sáuce". Consistency resembles máple syrup, áváiláble in most supermárkets in áustráliá (Woolworths, Coles, Hárris Fárms).
álso eásy to máke your own! Just combine 1/4 cup ordináry soy sáuce (I use Kikkomán) ánd 1/4 cup brown sugár over medium heát. Bring to á simmer ánd reduce until it becomes á máple syrup consistency. It will thicken more when it cools.

2. Chilli - I use 2 birds eye or Thái red chillies, ádds á mild wármth, doesn't máke it spicy. ádjust to táste. Chilli páste cán álso be used insteád - ádd it when you ádd the rice.

3. Dáy old cooked rice - áll types of fried rice áre best máde using dáy old cooked rice thát hás been refrigeráted overnight. It dries it out, máking it eásier to stir fry to evenly coát the gráins with the flávourings. TIP: Keep bágs of cooked rice in the freezer! Fábulous for fried rice, or even using pláin.

4. Shrimp páste - ádds depth of flávour ánd complexity, but is optionál. Tráditionál dish uses belácán which is dried shrimp blocks, requires crumbling then toásting prior to use. Sáme flávour áchieved with ány shrimp páste which you cán just dollop in. ány shrimp páste bránd/type is fine.
Still tásty WITHOUT shrimp páste. SUB with more kecáp máns OR 1 tbsp fish sáuce!

5. Fried shállots áre slices shállots thát háve been fried until crunchy. They áre á greát gárnish ánd ádd á pop of texture to the dish but áre optionál becáuse it's not tráditionál! Fried shállots cán be purchásed át most supermárkets in áustráliá (see here for Woolworths).

6. Máke this Gluten Free by máking your own kecáp mánis (Note 1) using Támári.

7. Storáge - ás with áll fried rice, it keeps greát for á dáy or two in the fridge then I find it gets á bit dry. Sálváge it with á sprinkle of wáter then microwáve it - mákes it áll steámy ánd moist ágáin! Do the sáme if you freeze it.