You may be thinking: literally what the heck Dana, why are you giving us this Indonesian Fried Rice (Gluten Free Nasi Goreng) recipe when Thanksgiving is THIS WEEK and we’re all freaking out about what to make and how to make it and omg I have no time where did this month go??
And that would be fair. But here’s the thing. I’ve got around 35 Thanksgiving recipes for you to choose from on this blog alone, plus this millions of others that have probably been flooding your inbox and your social media feeds. And we’re all feeling a little bit of overwhelm. Plus, what about all your traditional Thanksgiving recipes with your family?? I don’t want to take away from those. (PS – here are ALL those recipes if you want them, and my Thanksgiving Recipes Roundup too!)
What I DO want to do for you, is think about the other side of the holidays: the epic leftovers side. Because while Thanksgiving sandwiches are amazing, they get a little boring after the first few days. So what’re you to do, when you’re still totally bogged down by leftovers? You make this Indonesian Fried Rice, inspired by my travels in Bali earlier this year!
Called Nasi Goreng, this is a traditional Indoensian and Malaysian dish made with leftover fried rice, meats, vegetables, and spices, usually seasoned with a sweet soy sauce. Traditionally, it’s eaten for breakfast, with – you guessed it: 1) a fried egg on top (YAS, RIGHT?!) and 2) the leftover rice and vegetables from the night before. Gluten free Nasi Goreng is a little harder to find, but a lot of restaurants were really accomodating. You can find this *all over Bali* and indonesia as a breakfast dish pretty much everywhere you go. Did I have it almost every single day we were in Bali? Yep.
For this dish, it’s really important to use *leftover*, not freshly cooked, rice – which would get very sticky in the cooking process. Using previously cooked rice that has been chilled in the refrigerator at least overnight will lead to a much better (and less goopy) texture!
Another important component of this recipe is the Base Genep, or traditional Balinese spice blend that is used very widely in Balinese cooking. We took an amazing cooking class in Bali, so I learned how to make it, but could not find all the exact ingredients we used – so I made a totally non-authentic version that I think still tastes great.
Use whatever leftover vegetables you have on hand – I used frozen peas and carrots, cauliflower rice, and some chopped up peppers. You can serve it vegetarian, you can add whatever leftover protein you have (chicken, fish, shrimp, Thanksgiving turkey, etc.), and it’s going to be deeelicious. Although the traditional recipe uses shrimp paste (which I could’t find gluten-free) and sweet soy sauce (which is most definitely not gluten-free), I used coconut aminos, which is a sweeter soy sauce substitute.
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
- 2 cups frozen (or fresh) cauliflower rice
- 2 cups leftover rice
- 4 servings leftover chicken, chopped (or protein of your choice - about 4oz per serving)
- ⅓ cup coconut aminos
- 1 Tbsp coconut sugar
- 4 eggs (1 per serving)
- 1 stalk lemongrass, sliced (see how to prepare lemongrass here!)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp chili garlic sauce (or chopped birds’ eye chilis if you like it really hot!)
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1 tsp minced galangal or wild ginger
- 1 tsp minced fresh turmeric
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the coconut oil. Once hot, add the chopped onions (along with a dash of salt and pepper).
- While the onions are cooking, make the Base Genep. In the food processor, combine the sliced and prepared lemongrass, garlic, chili garlic sauce, ginger, galangal, and turmeric.
- Once the onion softens, add the Base Genep to the skillet and give it a few stirs.
- Stir in the peas, carrots, cauliflower rice, and peppers. Allow them to cook down a few minutes until no longer frozen.
- When the vegetables are cooked, stir in the coconut aminos and coconut sugar.
- Allow the flavors to come together a few minutes, until all the ingredients are warm.
- Meanwhile, fry up four eggs to your desired doneness in a separate skillet.
- Serve warm, with an egg per serving, chopped cilantro, and sriracha on top!
You’ll love these recipes too!
Sweet & Spicy Honey Ginger Salmon with Asian Red Cabbage Slaw
Bali Gluten-Free Favorites (Restaurant Travel Guide)
Sesame Salmon Bowls
Kimchi Cauliflower Fried Rice with Peanut Sauce
