Classic Indonesian fried rice – Nasi meaning “rice” and goreng meaning “fried”. Legit linguistics. lessons for y’all right there.

I have mentioned before that I have a penchant for all things ricey, but when you head into rice world armed with a fried egg, some smoked pork belly, crispy-airy prawn crackers and a garlicky ginger chilli sauce you are coming out victorious every time.

This also works exceptionally well with chicken or prawns, just make sure they are cooked before you add your rice.

NASI GORENG WITH SMOKED PORK BELLY

(serve 4)

½ brown onion, roughly chopped
5 cloves garlic, peeled
1-2 long red chilli, roughly chopped
1 knob turmeric
1 teaspoon shrimp paste, dry toasted in a pan

500 g smoked pork belly, cut into bite sized pieces
100 g green beans, sliced into 1 cm pieces. A cup of peas would work fine here too.
4 cups cooked rice, left uncovered in the fridge overnight to dry out
2 tablespoons kecap manis
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil
4 eggs
Crisp fried eshallots to garnish
Prawn crackers, cucumber and tomato slices and tumeric chilli sauce (recipe follows) to serve

Combine first five ingredients in a food processer with a splash of oil. Blitz to form a coarse paste.
Heat a wok over high heat.
Once wok is properly hot, add a splash of oil, pork and beans to the wok and cook out for 2-3 minutes.
Add spice paste and stir fry for another minute, keeping it moving so it doesn’t burn.
Add rice and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring and scraping often to avoid burning and sticking.
Add sauces and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Stir stir.
Have a taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Set aside.
Fry eggs in a pan.
Portion rice into bowls, place a fried egg on top, garnish with fried eshallots, and arrange cucumber and tomato, prawn crackers and turmeric chilli sauce on the side.
Eff yes.

TUMERIC CHILLI SAUCE

6 long red chilli
8 cloves garlic, peeled
1 knob ginger, roughly chopped
1 knob turmeric, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon each caster sugar and white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup vegetable oil

Place all ingredients into a pot on medium-low heat.
Simmer for 5 minutes or until ingredients are starting to brown just a little.
Once ready remove from heat and allow to cool a little.
Blitz to make a smooth sauce – add a splash of water or two if you need to get it to sauce consistency.
Decant into a jar.
Eat with things that like chilli.
Any remaining sauce will last for months in the fridge.