Vegetarian Nasi Goreng

Vegetarian nasi goreng is an easy Indonesian fried rice recipe with kecap manis, tamarind sauce, fresh vegetables, meaty oyster mushrooms, and toppings galore.

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Ingredients

For the Vegetarian Nasi Goreng

▢ 1 ½ tablespoons neutral oil
▢ 50 grams banana shallot finely chopped
▢ 2 large cloves garlic finely minced
▢ 1 red chilli finely sliced
▢ 50 grams carrot finely chopped
▢ 100 grams shiitake mushrooms torn into clusters
▢ 50 grams red bell pepper finely chopped
▢ 50 grams peas
▢ 300 grams cooked, day-old rice

For the Sauce

▢ 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
▢ 1 ½ tablespoons kecap manis
▢ 1 ½ tablespoons tamarind sauce
▢ 1 ½ teaspoon tomato paste

For the Fried Eggs

▢ 2 teaspoons neutral oil
▢ 4 medium eggs
▢ salt and black pepper to taste, optional

For the Garnishes

▢ 1 spring onion/scallion finely chopped
▢ 150 grams cucumber sliced (150g = half an English cucumber)
▢ 1 large tomato cut into wedges
▢ 1 lime cut into wedges
▢ 60 grams crispy fried shallots¹

Instructions

Prep The Ingredients

Clean, peel, and cut all your aromatics and vegetables. Details on cutting technique can be found in the ingredients section above.
In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon light soy sauce, 1 ½ tablespoons kecap manis, 1 ½ tablespoons tamarind sauce, and 1 ½ teaspoon tomato paste . Stir to combine. This is your stir-fry sauce.

Make the Vegetarian Nasi Goreng

Add 1 ½ tablespoons neutral oil to a large wok or pan. Bring the oil to a smoking point.
Add 50 grams banana shallot (finely chopped), 2 large cloves garlic (minced), and 1 red chilli (finely sliced) to the oil. Stir-fry for a few seconds, until aromatic.
Next, add 50 grams carrot (finely chopped). Stir-fry for 30 seconds.
Take 100 grams shiitake mushrooms and tear them into small clusters. Add to the pan and stir-fry for a few minutes, until the mushrooms have released water, softened, and slightly charred.
Add 50 grams red bell pepper (finely chopped) and 50 grams peas to the pan. Toss to mix, and stir-fry for an additional minute.
Use your hands to break up 300 grams cooked, day-old rice. Add the rice to your pan.
Pour the stir-fry sauce you prepared earlier over the rice. Immediately stir and toss to coat every grain of rice in your sauce. Let the rice stir-fry for a few minutes. Don't toss constantly — letting it sit for 30 seconds will get it lovely and caramelised, with plenty of flavour.
Garnish with 1 spring onion/scallion (finely sliced). Turn off the heat.

Make the Fried Eggs

In a non-stick frying pan, heat 2 teaspoons neutral oil. Crack in 4 medium eggs. Cook on medium heat until the edges are crispy and the whites are set, but the yolks are still runny. No need to flip the eggs; this is "sunny side up"-style.
Top the eggs with salt and black pepper to taste.

Garnish the Vegetarian Nasi Goreng

Portion your vegetarian nasi goreng onto plates.
Slice 150 grams cucumber. Cut 1 large tomato into wedges. Cut 1 lime into quarters. Allocate a portion of these garnishes between each serving.
Portion 60 grams crispy fried shallots¹ out for each plate. Scatter over the top or plate on the side.
Serve hot.

Notes

¹ If you prefer, you can make crispy fried shallots at home: Finely slice your shallots, then deep or shallow fry in oil over low heat until golden and crispy. Drain off excess oil, then use it to garnish your vegetarian nasi goreng.

Adjust the spiciness of your nasi goreng by either deseeding your chilli (for a milder dish) or doubling/tripling the chillies for a spicier affair. You can also serve sambal on the side, which is a great option if you're serving people with differing spice tolerances.

Make the dish vegan by omitting the fried egg on top.