Nasi Goreng Kampung (“Kampung” Fried Rice)

I honestly don’t know exactly when this dish came into being. I have a feeling it was created by the “now” generation. I don’t remember that it existed when I was young. What I do remember is a very spicy nasi goreng (fried rice) which my mum would make for breakfast using left over white rice and either dried prawns or dried ikan bilis (anchovies).

When I started cooking it myself, I used to add sliced string beans and I would garnish it with sliced telur dadar (like a crepe made of eggs).

The last time I was in Malaysia, my son asked me to cook it so he could learn. He said that when he tried his hand at making his own fried rice, it was “horrible and tasteless”! LOL

We discussed the various ways people make Nasi Goreng Kampung (“Kampung” means “village”) and he told me that in the “warungs” (I would define them as coffee shops that sold specifically Malay food) and “Mamak stalls” (kiosks that open till late night selling hot and cold beverages and cook-on-the-spot local favourites), they put chicken and kangkung (water spinach or convolvulus)! I said that that sounded a bit ridiculous as I had never ever had Nasi Goreng Kampung with kangkong in it! Chicken, maybe, but kangkung??

We wondered if this originated when the “chef” misheard “kampung” for “kangkong”! 

Anyway, we concluded that Nasi Goreng Kampung must be like the Italian pizza, where every household had their own way of cooking a spicy rice dish with leftover rice and whatever was in the fridge.

Here is how I make it.

INGREDIENTS
Serves 2 – 3

2 cups Jasmine (Thai) rice (I use the measuring cup that comes with most rice cookers. If you don’t have one, use any standard measuring cup.)
5 cups water

*Note: Basically I always use the same measuring cup for the rice and the water. And the formula is 1 cup rice: 1.5 cups water.

10 gms dried chillies
30 gms onions
2 cloves garlic
8 gms belacan (shrimp paste) granules
30 gms string beans
30 gms ikan bilis (dried anchovies)
2 – 3 tbsp Canola oil
2 eggs for making the garnish, telur radar or egg crepe (optional)
Salt to taste

The best nasi goreng is prepared with rice cooked the night before and refrigerated! Wash the rice to remove the starch, add the water and cook in a rice cooker. Once cooked, remove from rice cooker and let it cool completely, then refrigerate overnight. Before making the fried rice, wet your hand with water and “play” with the rice until it is not lumpy. Don’t try making fried rice with freshly cooked rice because it will just be a lumpy mess!

Cut the dried chillies using a pair of scissors, rinse and soak for 5 minutes in hot water. Peel the onions and cut into cubes. Peel the garlic. Place soaked chillies, onions, garlic and the belacan granules with some water in a blender and liquidise.

Wash the string beans and cut in 1/2 cm lengths.

Wash the ikan bilis. Heat the oil in a wok and when hot, fry the ikan bilis, stirring constantly on medium heat. When they are golden brown and crispy, remove and drain on a paper towel .

Add more oil if necessary and fry the blended ingredients on medium heat. Stir well until fragrant and the oil separates. Add the cut string beans and stir fry until they are cooked. Add salt to taste, then add the rice. Stir well (use two spoons) until all the rice is evenly covered in the chilli. Taste for salt then add the fried ikan bilis. Mix well and remove from heat.

Make the telur dadar, if desired. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Heat a small frying and grease it with some oil on a paper towel. Pour 2 tbsp of the beaten egg then swirl the pan to cover the base with the egg. Pour any egg left back into the bowl. Let the egg crepe cook (the edges should start to curl up – don’t let it turn brown) then remove and repeat with the balance of the eggs.

Roll each crepe, then slice thinly.

To serve the rice, separate the sliced egg crepe and sprinkle them on top.