Nasi Goreng Pagi
This quick morning nasi goreng is savoury, slightly sweet, and deeply aromatic from shallot, garlic, chili, and a little toasted shrimp paste. The glossy rice is finished with spring onion and topped with a fried egg, making a classic, comforting breakfast in minutes.
Ingredients
Bumbu and aromatics
- 40 gshallot, finely sliced
- 2 cloves (10 g)garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 small (8 g)red chili, finely sliced
- 5 gshrimp paste (terasi)
- 2 stalks (30 g)spring onion, sliced, whites and greens separated
Rice and seasoning
- 300 gcooked cold jasmine rice
- 30 gkecap manis
- 5 glight soy sauce
- 2 gfine salt
- 1 gground white pepper
Egg and frying
- 2 large (100 g without shell)eggs
- 20 gneutral oil
To serve
- 80 gcucumber, sliced
Instructions
- 1
Prep everything before heating the pan: break up any clumps in the cooked cold jasmine rice with your fingers or a spoon, finely slice the shallot and chili, chop the garlic, and separate the spring onion whites from the greens. Cold, dry rice fries better and stays distinct rather than turning mushy.
- 2
Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Add half of the neutral oil, then crack in the eggs. Fry for 45-60 seconds until the whites are set but the yolks are still a little soft, or cook longer if you prefer fully set yolks. Lift out and keep aside.
- 3
Add the remaining oil to the hot pan. Stir-fry the shallot, garlic, chili, and spring onion whites for about 1 minute until fragrant and lightly softened; keep them moving so the garlic does not burn. Add the shrimp paste and mash it into the hot oil for 15-20 seconds to toast it and deepen its aroma.
- 4
Add the rice and use a spatula to press and toss it through the aromatics, breaking up any last lumps. Fry for 2 minutes so the grains heat through and pick up a little colour.
- 5
Drizzle in the kecap manis and light soy sauce, then season with the salt and white pepper. Toss and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until the rice is evenly coated, glossy, and steaming hot. Taste and adjust with a pinch more salt if needed.
- 6
Turn off the heat and toss through the spring onion greens for fresh onion aroma. Plate the nasi goreng, top each portion with a fried egg, and serve immediately with sliced cucumber on the side.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •For the best texture, use rice cooked the day before and chilled; freshly cooked rice is usually too moist for proper fried rice.
- •If you do not have a wok, use the widest frying pan you have and avoid overcrowding so the rice fries instead of steaming.
- •Terasi is potent; toasting it briefly in the pan mellows the raw aroma and gives the dish its classic savoury depth.
- •Common breakfast accompaniments include tomato slices, prawn crackers, or a little extra sliced chili.
Background
Nasi goreng is one of Indonesia's most beloved everyday dishes, shaped by the practical habit of transforming leftover rice into a satisfying new meal. Versions for breakfast are especially common, often kept simple but boldly flavoured with aromatics, kecap manis, and a fried egg on top.
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