Be My Guest – Nasi Goreng

PinI don’t know if it is being noticed, but nowadays blogs are on a downward trend. Many aspiring foodies like the platform of Instagram, since it is the most cost effective way of expressing love for cooking and clicking available at the moment. Having a blog can be an expensive proposition, especially when you are not going to earn anything off it. But keeping them on a little space on the world wide web definitely does have a nice feeling to it. 🙂

 

The reason why I started off with the introduction is mainly because I found our guest for the day through Instagram. Initially, I thought she was only on Instagram, when I figured out that she did have a little blog of her own! Of course, that made me feel that she is different from the recent pack. 🙂 Let me welcome Hasna, who blogs on a dainty space called “Tayst it by Hasna“. Her USP is surely her out-of-the-box recipes. Whether it is her Dalgona Milk Pudding – her lockdown creation, the Rose Kunafa Cream Pudding or Roasted Garlic Fried Rice, she gives a beautiful twist of her own to her recipe. I would really love all of you to hop on to her blog, bookmark some of the recipes and try them as well!

 

After a little up and down stint on Instagram, I had the chance to meet her personally during the blogger’s meet I mentioned in this post, and she came across as a very humble, chirpy personality. I again met her close to her home, and it was a pleasure meeting her mother too. Both of them do a small catering business as well. While I opened up to her about becoming a guest on the blog, she was quite excited. She was a little concerned about what she would give, but I am so glad she bought along something that is totally new in the blog. Nasi Goreng is something that has never turned out right for me, and Hasna’s looks simply delectable! Why don’t I let her do the “talking”? 🙂 Off we go…

 

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May peace and blessings be upon you all… Hi friends! I am Hasna and I blog at Taystit. I love experimenting; be it with different ingredients, flavors, techniques or cuisines. I thoroughly enjoy the process of cooking, from how a basic ingredient could be changed to something extraordinary. It always fascinated me! I was never passionate about food as a child. Though I used to research on everything and anything what went into the food that was being consumed, whether store-bought, packaged food or whatever my mom made. Unknowingly I had no idea it was just a start towards my passion. Hailing from Thalassery , where food is main priority and delicious food is served in almost every household, I started being appreciated by many, after they try the food I cook. I then realized that I had this hidden talent that I myself did not realize. I started experimenting different cuisines, and slowly started sharing their pictures on my Instagram (which was then a private page). Everyone whom I knew wanted recipes of everything that I posted there. That’s when a few dear friends suggested the idea of entering the blogging world. As clueless I was about blogging, I learned everyday little by little. It was a tough process, as I had no one in the family who could help me with technical issues. Slowly but steady, I leaped onto this platform to showcase my skills. And Alhamdulilah now I am a recipe developer for couple of brands as well. As for me, I haven’t achieved anything yet, miles to go before I sleep. I also have a very amateur YouTube Channel where I am not very active, but planning to do so. I hope to create more magic in the near future so that the flavors I create can be experienced by everyone who loves food and its values.

 

When Rafeeda’tha (itha is used to denote or call an elder sister with love and respect) asked me to be her guest I was overwhelmed with joy. She has been someone whom I look upon in the blogging world. The real life stories that she shares on her Instagram was one of the reasons that got me instantly attracted to her and of course the first reason being the number of variety of recipes that she shares here on her blog is beyond belief. Her being a mother with a job and keeping up with the blog is something that is mind blowing. Maa Sha Allah. And If you haven’t tried her machboos yet you are definitely missing out! I am ever grateful to Rafeedatha for inviting me to be a part of the BST by being able to share recipe on her enthralling blog! May the Almighty bless her and her family always❤️

 

Now to come to why I am here today 😁 One of the first recipes that I tried was Indonesian cuisine and always the best. It is the easy, delicious and tummy filling Nasi Goreng. As gorgeous as the sunny side up on the rice looked I was curious to cook this at home years ago. And one fine afternoon when my mom asked what to cook for lunch, I asked to go take some rest while I try preparing Nasi Goreng. Nasi means rice and Goreng means fried, which in short means fried rice. After like going through a couple of recipes, I tried my hands on Nasi Goreng on my own idea, as I did not have all the ingredients on hand that was required in the authentic recipe. And bam! It was soooooper hit.! All I would say is that the fish sauce is a bit unpleasant but when everything comes together, the umami flavor is just next level! 😋 And it is generally served with a fried egg/Sunnyside up, a few slices of Cucumber and tomato. Imagine the half done egg yolk oozing onto the flavorful rice. Oooooh soooo good!

 

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Ingredients :

• 3 cups day old Basmati rice (or cooked and cooled completely)
• 1 onion chopped, and fried (for topping)

 

For rice:

• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 green chilli, low heat
• 1/4 tsp Red Chilli Flakes
• 250 gms chicken breast, sliced (or any protein like shrimps), marinated in 1 tbsp kecap manis
• 4 eggs (2 for scrambling and 2 for bullseye topping)
• 2 tsps fish sauce
• Cucumber and tomato slices, to garnish
• Lime wedges, to garnish

 

Kecap Manis (sweet soy sauce) :

• 6 tbsp Soy sauce
• 1-2 red bird’s eye chilli or 1/2 tsp Red Chilli Flakes
• 1-1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar

 

Instructions :

Kecap manis:

1. In a pan, add the ingredients under kecap manis and bring to a simmer. Reduce until slightly thickened (for about 2 minutes). The more it sits, the more it thickens.

 

Rice:

1. To a large skillet/ wok , pour some oil.
2. Once heated, add in your chopped  garlic, Sautee for a few seconds. Add in your chopped onion and green chilly.
3. Saute until raw smell disappears or until the onion has become translucent.
4. Next add in the kecap Manis marinated chicken strips and sautee well until cooked for around 5 minutes.
5. Shift the chicken to a side and pour a tsp of oil and drop in your eggs to scramble them.
6. Next add rice, little by little, adding in 2 tbsp or more of the prepared or store bought kecap Manis. Add in your fish sauce now, if you are using.
7. Now stir constantly on high flame, mostly by tossing the wok, so that the rice doesn’t break down further.
8. Season with salt if required.
9. Garnish by placing a fried egg on the top, Sprinkle the fried onions and place sliced tomatoes and cucumbers on the side of the plate (traditional way of plating). Also place a lemon wedge* and enjoy!
10. Bon appétit.

 

Note:

• You may use Jasmine rice too
• If you do not like fish sauce you may omit it, but the fish sauce is what brings in its different, umami flavor.
• You may use store bought shrimp paste as a substitute for fish sauce.
• After a minute on high heat, add in your marinated protein
• Topping suggestions : chopped spring onions and chopped red bird eye’s chilli.
• *The lemon wedge plays a great role in enhancing the flavor of the rice (my favorite part).
• You may place a half done fried egg or the fully fried egg depending on your choice.

 

Do try this recipe and don’t forget to share your experience/feedback with me here in the comments or feel free to send me a mail. Also, do tag me at #taystedit if you try out my recipes on Facebook, Instagram etc so that I can see when you make it.

 

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If you want me to be frank, I never liked umma’s version of Nasi Goreng she used to make with an old Laxmi Nair recipes. I think she realized that we weren’t really liking it and then she stopped making it completely. Recently, I found it in her notes – that I have referred in a few recent posts like this and this – and did try making it on a Friday afternoon, only to be terribly panned by the folks. I have never heard HD and the girls be so critical about my food till I made that dish. My mood was bonkers that whole week… hehe… so when Hasna indicated that she was going to this dish, all my thoughts came flooding to me. Not wanting to be judgmental at all, I told her, “I am sure yours is going to be different from the one I have had.” And it is! Just look at that rice, I would love to pick that up and dig in a fork!

 

Thank you Hasna for gracing my space with your beautiful write-up and even lovelier clicks. Aameen to your duas! <3