NASI GORENG

Nasi goreng, literally meaning "fried rice" in Indonesian and Malay, can refer simply to fried pre-cooked rice, a meal including fried rice accompanied with other items, or a more complicated fried rice, typically spiced with tamarind and chilli and including other ingredients, particularly egg and prawns. In Indonesian and Malay, nasi means cooked rice and goreng means fried.

The main ingredients for the plain nasi goreng include pre-cooked rice, soy sauce, garlic, shallot and some spring onions for garnishing. Nasi goreng can be eaten at any time of day, and many Indonesians, Malaysians and Singaporeans eat nasi goreng for breakfast, often using leftovers from the previous day's dinner. The rice used to make nasi goreng is cooked ahead of time and left to cool down (so it is not soggy), which is one reason to use rice cooked from the day before.


The "banquet" version of nasi goreng is a meal in itself, typically including prawns and egg, spiced with tamarind, chilli and coriander. The variety is a basic menu item in Indonesian, Malaysian, and Singaporean restaurants worldwide. Nasi goreng can also be found in other restaurants in western countries, such as in Chinese and Indian ones, but with local adaptation (for instance, by adding curry seasoning).


In the Netherlands, Indonesian-Chinese restaurants may offer nasi goreng spiced to suit Dutch taste. In The Netherlands and Flanders, the name nasi goreng is often used for any Asian style of fried rice.