Nasi goreng (authentic Indonesian)

Ingredients

• 6 cups rice, cooked and cold from the day before — Long-grain rice, no basmati or pandan
• 2 onions, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 5 eggs
• 1 leek, cut into strips
• ham, to taste, cut into strips — Optional, or bacon strips/leftover cooked meat/chicken
• shrimp, to taste, pre-cooked — Optional
• 1 tsp ginger powder (djahé)
• 0.5 tsp ground coriander, ketoembar
• 0.5 tsp trassi — Powder form is easier to measure than a block
• 1.5 tsp sambal oelek — More for spicier
• a pinch of salt
• a generous splash of sunflower oil — Use plenty, also for frying the rice
• 1.5 tsp sesame oil
• a splash of ketjap manis
• a splash of water

Method

1. Sauté onions and garlic: Chop the onions and finely chop the garlic. Heat plenty of oil in a pan and sauté the onions and garlic until nicely brown and soft (not too raw). Add 1-2 teaspoons sesame oil while sautéing.
2. Prepare boemboe: Once the onions have turned color and are soft, add the djahé, ketoembar, trassi and sambal oelek. Fry briefly (about a minute) - not too long, as the dry powders can burn and spoil the taste. Then turn off the heat.
3. Prepare vegetables and meat: Cut the leek and chosen meat/shrimp so you can stir-fry them in quick succession.
4. Heat pan: Heat a generous splash of oil in a wok or large pan until very hot.
5. Fry eggs: Break the eggs into the hot pan and fry them until no longer raw and nicely dry. This also forms a natural non-stick layer if you use a pan without non-stick coating.
6. Add rice: Add the cold, dry rice from the day before. Mix with the eggs and press any clumps against the side of the pan to break them up. Fry dry until separate grains.
7. Mix in boemboe: Add the boemboe (onion-spice mixture) to the rice and mix well.
8. Add ketjap and salt: Add a small splash of ketjap manis and season with salt.
9. Add meat and shrimp: Add ham, shrimp or other cooked meat.
10. Add leek: Add the leek at the end so it remains a bit crunchy.
11. Finish with water: When the pan is hot but not scorching, add a little water. The steam this creates will ensure the rice heats through well at the end.
12. Serve: Serve hot, optionally with cucumber atjar, satay with peanut sauce, fried onions and prawn crackers.