Nasi Goreng Kampung

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Prep everything first for fast stir-frying: break up the cold rice with clean fingers or a fork so there are no large clumps. Roughly chop the garlic, shallot, red chilli, and bird's eye chillies. Slice the long beans and cucumber.

   300 g cooked jasmine rice, cold3 garlic cloves1 small (30 g) shallot1 red chilli2 bird's eye chillies80 g long beans, sliced 1 cm thick80 g cucumber, sliced
2. 2

   Pound or finely mince the garlic, shallot, red chilli, bird's eye chillies, and sambal into a coarse paste. A rough texture is ideal; it fries better and gives the rice a village-style character.

   3 garlic cloves1 small (30 g) shallot1 red chilli2 bird's eye chillies1 tbsp sambal oelek or sambal belacan
3. 3

   Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp of the oil and fry the dried anchovies for 1-2 minutes until crisp and fragrant, stirring constantly so they do not burn. Remove and set aside, leaving any flavoured oil in the pan.

   2 tbsp neutral oil25 g dried anchovies (ikan bilis)
4. 4

   Add the remaining oil to the hot wok. Fry the sambal paste over medium heat for about 1 minute until aromatic and slightly darker; this cooks out the raw sharpness. Add the long beans and stir-fry for 1 minute until bright green and just tender-crisp.

   2 tbsp neutral oil3 garlic cloves1 small (30 g) shallot1 red chilli2 bird's eye chillies1 tbsp sambal oelek or sambal belacan80 g long beans, sliced 1 cm thick
5. 5

   Push the mixture to one side of the wok. Crack in the eggs and scramble briefly until just set but still moist, then mix them through. This keeps the egg in soft curds rather than dry bits.

   2 large egg
6. 6

   Add the cold rice. Stir-fry over high heat for 2-3 minutes, pressing and tossing to coat every grain with the sambal and egg. When the rice is hot and separated, season with soy sauce, salt, and white pepper.

   300 g cooked jasmine rice, cold2 tsp light soy sauce1/4 tsp salt1/8 tsp ground white pepper
7. 7

   Return most of the fried anchovies to the wok and toss for 30 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed; the rice should be savoury, spicy, and lightly smoky, with the anchovies still crisp.

   25 g dried anchovies (ikan bilis)
8. 8

   Serve immediately, topped with the remaining anchovies. Add cucumber on the side and a squeeze of lime just before eating for freshness.

   25 g dried anchovies (ikan bilis)80 g cucumber, sliced2 lime wedges

Origin & History

Nasi goreng kampung is a homestyle Malaysian fried rice associated with village cooking, where leftover rice is transformed into a deeply savoury meal with pantry staples such as chilli, anchovies, and eggs. Versions are also found across Singapore and Indonesia, but the Malaysian style often highlights sambal and ikan bilis for a bold, familiar flavour.