Nasi Goreng Hijau Gurih - savoury green fried rice

Ingredients

• 250 grice
• 300 mlcoconut milk
• 100 g spinach + 100 ml waterspinach and water, puréed together
• 1/2 tspsalt
• 3salam leaves
• 3lemongrass stalks, white parts
• 2pandan leaves
• as neededoil
• 1 tspfish sauce
• 1/2 tspsalt
• 1/2 tsppepper
• 2eggs, beaten
• 250 gprawns, peeled with tails left on
• 75 gmixed vegetables (corn, carrot and mange tout)
• 4shallots, roasted
• 5 clovesgarlic, roasted
• 4candlenuts, roasted
• 1 tspdried shrimp, roasted

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the rice

   Heat the coconut milk with the puréed spinach and water, 1/2 tsp salt, salam leaves, lemongrass and pandan leaves, stirring until it comes to the boil. Add the rice and cook until the liquid has been absorbed. Steam for 45 minutes, until cooked, then set aside.

2. 2

   Fry the paste

   Pound or grind the roasted shallots, garlic, candlenuts and dried shrimp into a paste. Heat oil in a pan and fry the paste for 5 minutes, pushing it to one side of the pan.

3. 3

   Finish the rice

   Add the beaten eggs and scramble them, then add the prawns and fry until they change colour. Add the rice and mixed vegetables and combine well. Stir in the fish sauce and pepper, then fry until done.

What is nasi goreng hijau?

Nasi goreng means fried rice in Indonesian, and hijau means green. This green version gets its colour from spinach cooked into the rice, while coconut milk and fragrant leaves give it a distinctive aroma.

Here, cooked rice is fried with a roasted shallot, garlic, candlenut and dried-shrimp paste, then finished with prawns, egg and vegetables. Cooking the rice in the flavourings first helps make the green base more than just plain rice with spinach mixed through.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 1750 calories, 0g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fat.

The rice is the main source of carbohydrate, while coconut milk and cooking oil contribute much of the fat. Prawns and eggs provide most of the protein. For a more balanced plate, serve a portion with extra non-starchy vegetables or a crisp salad.

Building flavour into the rice

Spinach: purée it with the stated water so it can blend evenly with the coconut milk and coat the rice.

Aromatics: salam leaves, lemongrass and pandan infuse the cooking liquid. They are there to perfume the rice; remove the leaves and stalks before frying if you prefer not to eat around them.

The roasted spice paste

Roasting the shallots, garlic, candlenuts and dried shrimp before grinding them gives the paste a deep, savoury base. Grind it as finely as you can so it fries evenly.

Fry the paste for the full 5 minutes, keeping it to one side of the pan as directed. This leaves room to scramble the eggs without mixing them into the paste too early.

Getting the rice texture right

Absorbed liquid: cook the rice in the coconut and spinach mixture until the moisture is taken up before steaming it. The recipe then calls for 45 minutes of steaming, until the rice is cooked.

Separate grains: once the rice is cooked, add it to the pan and mix gently but thoroughly. Avoid crushing it as you fold in the vegetables and paste.

Cooking the prawns and egg

Egg: scramble it in the cleared space beside the paste, then combine it with the other ingredients as you add the prawns.

Prawns: fry them until they change colour, as the method specifies. Add the rice and vegetables afterwards so the prawns are not left cooking through every stage.

Vegetables and serving

The corn, carrot and mange tout add colour and a little contrast to the soft rice. Cut the pieces to a similar size so they mix through the pan evenly.

Serve the rice hot as a complete meal, or with a crisp cucumber salad or lightly dressed greens alongside. The fresh, cool side balances the rich coconut and savoury paste.

Recipe notes & tips

• Rinse the rice before cooking if that is how you usually prepare it, then drain it well.
• Keep the lemongrass stalks intact so they are easier to find and remove.
• Grind the roasted paste ingredients thoroughly for an even texture.
• Have the prawns, egg and vegetables ready before you start frying the paste.
• Taste before serving, as both fish sauce and the two measured additions of salt contribute seasoning.

Variations

• More greens: add extra spinach to the purée while keeping the rice-cooking liquid manageable.
• Vegetable swap: use another quick-cooking mixed vegetable combination in place of the listed corn, carrot and mange tout.
• Extra heat: serve with sliced fresh chilli or sambal at the table.
• No prawns: leave them out and add more vegetables for a version without seafood.
• Milder flavour: reduce the fish sauce to taste, while keeping in mind that this changes the seasoning.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Wet rice: cook until the coconut-spinach liquid is absorbed before steaming, as excess moisture can make the fried rice heavy.
• Understeamed rice: follow the stated 45-minute steaming time and check that the grains are cooked before setting them aside.
• Burnt paste: keep it moving as it fries for 5 minutes and lower the heat if it starts to catch.
• Overcooked prawns: fry them only until they change colour before adding the rice and vegetables.
• Lost aromatics: keep the salam, pandan and lemongrass easy to spot so they can be removed before serving.

How to store

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them in a covered container for up to 2 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout, adding a small splash of water if the rice has dried out; reheat only once.

Frequently asked questions