7 Nasi goreng II (Chinese)

A Chinese nasi goreng from Beb’s book. Quite different from the Javanese nasi goreng I, I made last time. In this recipe Beb uses lard and ham slices go on top. I do not use lard in my version, but duck fat. A friend of us smokes duck. He collects the fat of the duck breast and I got a pot. I use it often while making chicken roast for example. It gives the dish a slightly smoky flavor. Love it. It is probably delicious in this dish too, and duck is very Chinese. I use pork chops for meat.

Nasi goreng II (Chinese) from Beb Vuyk Groot Indonesisch Kookboek, page 46.

In Chinese restaurants nasi goreng is a complete meal. In the preparation lard and pork is used. Cabbage, celery and bean sprouts are usually added in a nasi goreng. A Special Nasi Goreng is prepared with shrimp or crab and topped of with ham.

Ingredients

500 grams of cooked rice
200 gram of chopped onions
3 cloves of minced garlic
100 grams of bean sprouts
100 grams of finely chopped white cabbage
1 tablespoon of finely chopped chives
1 tablespoon of finely chopped celery
250 grams of minced pork, chicken, shrimp or crab mixed
100 grams of ham
4 eggs
4 tablespoons of lard (pork or lard)
1/2 teaspoon monosodium glutamate

Fry onions, garlic and meat in the lard as shown in Recipe I. Fry also the bean sprouts and cabbage but no longer than 2 minutes. Add the rice. Beat 2 eggs with a little salt and stir them in the warm mass until they solidify. Take the remaining 2 eggs to make an omelette baked on both sides. Then roll it up and cut into fine strips. The nasi goreng is topped with soy sauce and monosodium glutamate (vetsin) and topped of with the strips of omelette, chopped ham, celery and chives.

I cut alle the veggies fine and organise them. The frying proces of the nasi goreng goes smoothly this way. ?

I use a teaspoon of duck fat to sauté the chopped onions and garlic.

The meat can be added now. I make sure that the pork is brown on all sides. Because when the rice goes in they need to be almost done completely.

Now I add the cabbage and the bean sprouts. Meanwhile I put a pan on to make an omelet that goes on top of the dish.

The rest of the egg goes through the nasi. Just keep on stirring while pouring in the egg. This way the egg will be mixed in well and done fast. Just before serving I add 2 tablespoons of sweet soy sauce. I do not use monosodium glutamate (vetsin). I’ll never use it. Not necessary in my opinion when you use good and fresh ingredients.

I serve the dish as Beb describes with strips of omelette, some ham and some chopped celery and chives. I think it’s a tasty nasi goreng, especially with a good amount of ham, but I still think Beb’s Nasi Goreng I is better (in that dish sambal is used ;-).

Beb Vuyk, best known for her Groot Indonesisch Kookboek (Great Indonesian Cook Book), was much more than a great cook. She belongs to the most important Dutch-Indonesian (Indo) writers and journalists of her time. Check this out.