Indonesian-Style Fried Rice (Nasi Goreng)

Published May 1, 2011. From Cook's Illustrated.

For a different take on a leftover classic, we created a recipe for Indonesian-style fried rice. We found everyday alternatives to traditional Indonesian ingredients and then tweaked the cooking process so that we could avoid cooking the rice the day before or waiting until we had leftover rice on hand. To mimic the firmness of leftover rice, we rinsed the raw grains and sautéed them in some oil. We then cooked the rice in less water and let it cool in the refrigerator. All our Indonesian-Style Fried Rice needed was the traditional garnishes: frizzled shallots, cucumbers, tomatoes, and an egg, which we conveniently turned into an omelet to avoid the last-minute work of egg frying. Serves 4 to 6.

If Thai chiles are unavailable, substitute two serranos or two medium jalapeños. Reduce the spiciness of this dish by removing the ribs and seeds from the chiles (I STRONGLY RECOMMEND DOING THIS AS IT IS STILL QUITE SPICY EVEN AFTER THE RIBS AND SEEDS ARE REMOVED). This dish progresses very quickly at step 4; it’s imperative that your ingredients are in place by then and ready to go. If desired, serve the rice with sliced cucumbers and tomato wedges.

5 green or red Thai chiles, stemmed
7 large shallots, peeled
4 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons light or mild molasses
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
table salt
4 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 recipe Faux Leftover Rice (see related recipe)
12 ounces extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled, deveined, tails removed, and cut crosswise into thirds
4 large scallions, sliced thin
2 limes, cut into wedges

1. Pulse chiles, 4 shallots, and garlic in food processor until coarse paste is formed, about fifteen 1-¬second pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Transfer mixture to small bowl and set aside. In second small bowl, stir together brown sugar, molasses, soy sauce, fish sauce, and 1¼ teaspoons salt. Whisk eggs and ¼ teaspoon salt together in medium bowl.

2. Thinly slice remaining 3 shallots and place in 12-inch nonstick skillet with oil. Fry over medium heat, stirring constantly, until shallots are golden and crisp, 6 to 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer shallots to paper towel–lined plate and season with salt to taste. Pour off oil and reserve. Wipe out skillet with paper towel.

3. Remove rice from refrigerator and break up any large clumps with fingers. Heat 3 tablespoons reserved oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until just shimmering. Add chile mixture and cook until mixture turns golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Add shrimp, increase heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring constantly, until exterior of shrimp is just opaque, about 2 minutes. Push shrimp to sides of skillet to clear center; stir molasses mixture to recombine and pour into center of skillet. When molasses mixture bubbles, add rice and cook, stirring and folding constantly, until shrimp is cooked, rice is heated through, and mixture is evenly coated, about 3 minutes. Stir in scallions, remove from heat, and transfer to serving platter. Garnish with egg segments, fried shallots, and lime wedges; serve immediately.

FAUX LEFTOVER RICE

For a different take on a leftover classic, we created a faux leftover rice recipe to use in our Indonesian-Style Fried Rice recipe. Tweaking the cooking process gave us a recipe that we could prepare with little foresight because we could avoid cooking the rice the day before or waiting until we had leftover rice on hand. To mimic the firmness of leftover rice, we rinsed the raw grains and sautéed them in some oil. We then cooked the rice in less water and let it cool in the refrigerator. Makes 6 cups.

Note: To rinse the rice, place it in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cool water until the water runs clear.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups jasmine or long-grain white rice, rinsed
2 2/3 cups water

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add rice and stir to coat grains with oil, about 30 seconds. Add water, increase heat to high, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until all liquid is absorbed, about 18 minutes. Off heat, remove lid and place clean kitchen towel folded in half over saucepan; replace lid. Let stand until rice is just tender, about 8 minutes. Spread cooked rice onto rimmed baking sheet, set on wire rack, and cool 10 minutes. Transfer to refrigerator and chill for 20 minutes.