World Kitchen Rice

Nasi Goreng

Name: Nasi Goreng
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indonesian
Ingredients: 400 g cooked jasmine rice, chilled; 200 g chicken thigh, diced; 2 eggs, beaten; 100 g green beans, sliced; 2 shallots, sliced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 red chilli, sliced; 3 tbsp kecap manis; 1 tbsp shrimp paste or fish sauce; 1 tbsp neutral oil; 2 fried eggs, to serve; Cucumber slices, to serve

Kecap manis is Indonesian sweet soy sauce.

By Dana Reyes

Tested at least twice · Updated September 2026

Nasi Goreng — Indonesian fried rice with a sweet-savoury glaze, prawn paste and a fried egg on top.

10 min

Prep time

15 min

Cook time

Serves

4.7

1,128 RATINGS

Why kecap manis changes everything

Kecap manis is Indonesian sweet soy sauce. It caramelises in the wok and gives the rice its dark, glossy colour and sweet-savoury backbone.

Belacan, or shrimp paste, adds an unmistakable depth. If you cannot find it, a small amount of fish sauce works as a substitute.

Instructions

About 25 min from start to finish

Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. Scramble the beaten eggs quickly and push them to one side.

Add the shallots, garlic, chilli and shrimp paste. Stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add the chicken and green beans. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

Add the cold rice and kecap manis. Toss everything together over high heat for 2-3 minutes.

Serve topped with a fried egg and cucumber slices.

Testing notes & substitutions

Three rounds of testing turned up three things worth knowing before you start cooking.

Cold rice is essential

Freshly cooked rice turns mushy. Day-old chilled rice fries up separate and crisp.

Shrimp paste

It is potent. Start with a small amount and add more only if you like the flavour.

Vegetarian version

Omit the chicken and shrimp paste. Add tofu and use a vegetarian stir-fry sauce instead.

Questions we get a lot

Can I use normal soy sauce?

You can, but add 1 teaspoon of sugar to mimic the sweetness of kecap manis.

What is the best rice?

Jasmine rice that has been chilled overnight. Long-grain white rice also works.

How spicy is this?

Mild to moderate. Use a hotter chilli or add sambal for more heat.

Dana Reyes

Dana has cooked professionally for eleven years and has been testing recipes for Hearth & Thyme since 2019. She writes about weeknight cooking, slow breads, and the small techniques that quietly change a dish. Every recipe she publishes is cooked at least twice, in an ordinary home oven.