ramyaramesh3007This famous Indonesian dish is made with leftover rice stir fried with vegan tofu egg, vegetables, and fresh aromatics. Perfect for a quick and easy meal.
If cooking seems complicated to you, you are at the right place – I’m here to show you that vegan cooking is more EASY than you think! This Indonesian fried rice – also known as Nasi Goreng – is one of my favourite ways to clear out leftover vegetables, protein and rice. “Nasi” means “rice,” and “goreng” means “fried,” so it directly translates to “fried rice.”
Here are some easy pointers to make this delicious and easy spicy fried rice:
- Use leftover rice for the perfect fried rice because it has a firmer texture. Using freshly cooked rice can cause the dish to be too mushy.
- Some of my favourite vegetables to add to fried rice are kailan, bok choy, kale, carrot, corn and long beans. Depends on what I have in my fridge but this recipe only includes tofu egg and beans.
- To make this recipe gluten free, substitute the soy sauces with a gluten free version like tamari or coconut aminos. There are also gluten free soy sauces available (look for ones without wheat in them).
Ingredients You Need
- rice – usually, day-old rice is preferred because it’s drier and less sticky, making it easier to fry and absorb the flavours.
- aromatics – shallots, garlic, red chilies (use the small ones for more spice – I used the large one)
- kecap manis – this sweet soy sauce is a signature component of nasi goreng. It adds a rich sweetness to the dish. However, the version I used is not gluten free – you can substitute this with soy sauce and a pinch of agave.
- protein – I made a vegan tofu egg but you can also add just fried tofu or tempeh.
- vegetables – common vegetables include carrots, peas, green onions, and cabbage. Here, I used long beans and maitake mushrooms.
- garnish – fried shallots, sliced cucumber, tomato, lime and red chilies.
Gluten free substitutions: 1 tsp kecap manis = 1 tsp gluten free soy sauce + 1/2 tsp agave. You can also use tamari or coconut aminos. Use gluten free soy sauce in place of dark soy sauce as well. If using vegan shrimp paste, ensure it’s gluten free. In place of that, you can use sambal paste too.
Allium free substitutions: Omit garlic and shallots/red onion (both fresh and in powder forms). Instead use a pinch of asafoetida in both cases. Omit adding white part of scallions. Substitute green part of scallions for coriander for garnish. Omit fried shallots. Ensure sambal paste is allium free.
Vegan Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)
Ingredients
Vegan Tofu Egg
- 100 g extra firm tofu
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp black salt
Nasi Goreng
- 1.5 cups cooked white rice day old
- neutral or olive oil for frying
- 1/2 red onion sub 2 shallots
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 large red chili
- 1 tbsp kecap manis
- 1 tsp vegan shrimp paste optional
- 1 cup mushrooms any kind, I used maitake
- 1/4 cup chopped long beans
- 1 tsp kecap manis
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
Garnish
- 2 stalks scallions
- 4 tomato wedges
- 6 slices cucumber
- 2 tbsp fried shallots
- lime wedges
- vegan sambal optional
Instructions
- If you don’t have day-old rice, cook fresh rice, spread it on a tray to cool, and let it sit for 20-30 minutes to dry out. Cold rice is easier to fry and won’t clump together.
- Dice shallots or red onion finely.
- Heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add your shredded mushrooms and saute with kecap manis until browned. Keep aside.
- Crumble tofu and add all your seasonings. Mix together and stir fry in the same pan for 1-2 minutes. Remove the tofu and set aside.
- Add more olive oil if necessary. Sauté the shallots until fragrant and softened, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the white part of scallions, red chilies, minced garlic and saute for a minute.
- Add kecap manis, long beans and other vegetables (if using) to the pan. Stir-fry for another 2 minutes until the vegetables are tender but still vibrant. Add tofu egg and mushrooms back into the pan.
- Add the cold rice to the pan and break up any clumps. Stir well to combine with the vegetables.
- Drizzle dark soy sauce. Stir-fry everything together until the rice is evenly coated and heated through.
- Serve nasi goreng with your choice of garnish: fried shallots, sliced cucumber, tomato wedges, lime wedges, red chilies, and spring onions.