Nasi goreng literally means 'fried rice' in Malay and Indonesian, but calling it just fried rice is like calling champagne fizzy wine. What sets it apart is kecap manis — a thick, sweet soy sauce unique to Indonesia — and terasi, a pungent fermented shrimp paste that provides an umami depth no other ingredient can replicate. The dish is so central to Indonesian identity that in 2018 it was officially declared the national dish by the Indonesian government, beating out rendang and satay in a public vote. Every warung (food stall) in the country serves its own version, and the best ones are often the simplest: a single wok, day-old rice, and decades of muscle memory.

• 4 cups day-old cooked rice (cold from the fridge)
• 2 eggs
• 200g shrimp or chicken, diced
• 3 tbsp kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp terasi (shrimp paste)
• 4 shallots, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 red chilies, sliced
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• Fried shallots for topping
• Prawn crackers (kerupuk) for serving
• Sliced cucumber and tomato

1. Heat oil in a wok over high heat until smoking. Fry half the shallots and the garlic for 30 seconds. Add the terasi and mash it into the oil — it will smell intense. This is correct.
2. Add the shrimp or chicken. Stir-fry for 2 minutes until just cooked.
3. Push everything to one side. Crack one egg into the empty space, scramble it roughly, then mix it into the meat.
4. Add the cold rice. Break up any clumps with the back of your spatula. Stir-fry aggressively — the rice needs to hit the wok surface for color and flavor.
5. Pour in kecap manis and soy sauce. Toss until every grain is coated and the rice is a deep, even brown. Add chilies.
6. Fry the second egg separately — sunny side up with crispy edges and a runny yolk.
7. Mound the rice on a plate. Top with the fried egg, shower with crispy shallots. Serve with prawn crackers, sliced cucumber, and tomato. Mix the egg yolk into the rice as you eat.