Nasi Goreng

History

Nasi goreng (literally “fried rice” in Indonesian) owes its wok-cooking technique to Chinese traders who settled across the archipelago as early as the 15th century. Local cooks then adapted it with their own condiments: kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), sambal and dried shrimp. Originally, it was mostly a way to use up rice cooked the day before: the cooled, slightly dried grains separate far better in the pan than fresh, sticky rice.

The dish is now one of Indonesia’s culinary symbols, named by Barack Obama, who spent part of his childhood in Jakarta, among his favorite street food memories.

Ingredients — Serves 4

• 600g rice, cooked the day before and cooled
• 2 eggs
• 150g chicken or shrimp, in small pieces
• 2 tbsp kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
• 1 tbsp sambal oelek (or chili paste)
• 2 shallots, 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Cucumber, tomato and shrimp crackers (kerupuk) to serve

The nasi goreng recipe, step by step

1. Break up the cold rice by hand to separate the grains before you start: this is what keeps nasi goreng from turning to mush.
2. Scramble the eggs quickly in a very hot wok, and set them aside in rough pieces.
3. Sear the chicken or shrimp with the shallots and garlic until golden.
4. Add the rice and stir-fry over high heat, tossing constantly to coat every grain.
5. Pour in the kecap manis and sambal, and mix until evenly colored with a light caramelized edge.
6. Fold the eggs back in, and serve hot with fresh cucumber, tomato and shrimp crackers.

Cooking method

Technique: a very hot wok sear, stirred constantly so each grain of rice stays separate.

Traditional equipment: a cast iron wok over high heat; a large, wide pan works too if it gets hot enough.

Signs to look for: the rice should crackle faintly and turn an even brown, never gray or soggy.

Nutrition, per serving

Calculated from the raw ingredient quantities above, divided across four servings.

At 370 kcal per serving with only 2 g of saturated fat, nasi goreng is one of the lighter street-food dishes on the atlas — the wok-fry technique uses comparatively little oil relative to the volume of rice, and the protein source (chicken or shrimp) is used in a modest quantity rather than as the meal’s centrepiece.

Economic context

Nasi goreng’s entire premise is economic: it was originally a way to use up rice cooked the day before, rather than a dish planned and shopped for in advance. That thrift is still visible in the ingredient list — rice, egg, a little protein, and condiments most kitchens already have — which is exactly why it remains an everyday street-food staple rather than a special-occasion dish, memorable enough that Barack Obama, who spent part of his childhood in Jakarta, has named it among his favourite street food memories.

Source: World Bank / FAO, Food Prices for Nutrition database (Cost and Affordability of a Healthy Diet) v4.0, 2024 data, CC BY 4.0, DOI 10.57966/41AN-KY81. Retrieved 29 July 2026. This figure describes the cost of a healthy diet in Indonesia generally — it is not a costing of this specific recipe.

Who this dish suits

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