Nasi Goreng

My husband and I joke about Nasi Goreng. You see, his job requires him to travel quite a bit, which means he often eats out. When he is away from home, he calls in the evenings and we catch up on our day. The conversation inevitably gets around to me asking him if he's eaten and what (I can't help myself). And you can just about bet, the answer will be "Nasi Goreng". If it's on the menu, he orders it. He is on a mission to find a Nasi Goreng which matches the "best he's ever eaten". It was from a little Malaysian hole-in-the-wall restaurant around the corner from us when we were living and working in New Zealand...oh, and mine, of course.


Nasi Goreng
from Bill Granger's Bill's Basics
Serves 4

2 tablespoons sunflower oil
6 spring onions, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
3 small green chillies (or long ones if you don't like it so hot), finely chopped

large handful of bean shoots
2 tablespoons kecap manis
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
4 cups cooked rice
4 eggs

To serve:
a few lettuce leaves, shredded
handful cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cucumber, cut into wedges
handful bean shoots
1 lime, cut into wedges
Chinese chilli sauce

Heat your wok over high heat. Add half the oil and, when hot, add spring onions, garlic and chillies and cook until slightly softened. Stir in the kecap manis, soy sauce and sugar.Add the rice, stir-frying constantly until lightly coated and heated through. Add a large handful of bean shoots and stir them through. take them off the heat.

 In another frypan heat the remaining oil and fry eggs, until they are runny or firm as you like them. Place the rice into 4 deep bowls. Top with an egg and add lettuce, tomato wedges, cucumber wedges and bean shoots around a bowl. Serve lime wedges and Chinese chilli sauce on the side.