Loet Vos' Recipes

Never Boring Nasi Goreng
This well-known Indonesian dish was very popular with the Dutch during colonial times. Loet says it’s a great way to clean out your fridge, because you can put many leftovers in. For a vegetarian version, replace the meat and seafood with tofu. Serve with small dishes of condiments, such as chutney, pickles, grated cucumber, peanuts, sliced banana topped with candied ginger, fried coconut or other fresh fruits or vegetables. In Holland, shrimp crackers (krupuk) are an essential accompaniment.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

2-1/2 cups cooked brown or white rice 625 mL (about 2/3 cup/175 mL raw)
1/5 cup vegetable oil 50 mL
2 red onions, chopped 2
4 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 leek, chopped) 4
1 tsp curry powder 5 mL
1 tsp dry mustard 5 mL
1 tsp sambal or hot pepper flakes 5 mL
1/2 tsp ground cumin 2 mL
1/2 tsp pepper 2 mL
pinch salt pinch
2-1/2 cups frozen peas 625 mL
1 cup chopped celery or celery leaves 250 mL
1 cup cooked chicken cubes* 250 mL
1 cup cooked pork cubes* 250 mL
1 cup chopped cooked ham* 250 mL
1 cup sliced cooked beef* 250 mL
2 tbsp soy sauce (optional 30 mL
shrimp, peeled and deveined (optional)

Note: any combination of cooked meats totaling 4 cups will work, or simply use 4 cups of only one type of cooked meat, if you prefer.

Cook rice a few hours ahead so it cools (freshly cooked hot rice will get soggy and oily if you fry it). In a wok or large skillet, heat 1 tbsp/15 mL of the oil over medium-high heat; sauté onions and garlic, stirring often, until softened. Remove and set aside _ cup/50 mL of the onion mixture for garnish. Heat remaining oil over medium-high heat; add remaining onion mixture, curry powder, mustard, sambal, cumin, pepper and salt; heat through, stirring to mix well. Gently fold in rice, peas, celery, chicken, pork, ham and beef. Drizzle with soy sauce (if using). Stir in shrimp (if using) and cook until shrimp is opaque and rice and meat are heated through but not dried out.


Topping:
2 eggs 2
2 tbsp water 30 mL
pinch salt pinch
2 tbsp vegetable oil 30 mL
chopped fresh coriander

Beat together eggs, water and salt. In a large skillet, heat oil over low heat; pour in egg mixture and cook, without stirring, until set and resembles thin, flat omelette. Cut into narrow strips.

Turn rice mixture onto warmed serving platter or into bowl. Garnish with reserved onion mixture, egg strips, coriander, and shrimp crackers (available at Asian stores).