Ingredients
500g rice
500ml water
3 shallots
3 cloves garlic
Sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
2 large red chili peppers
1 chicken breast
3 spring onions
1 egg
Cooking oil
Sambal sauce
Fried tempeh (optional)
Preparation
This recipe is best started off the night before. Steam the rice in the water until cooked. If you don’t have a rice cooker, boil the rice. Set this aside for at least two or three hours. You’re going to be doing a lot of stirring in this recipe, so it’s a good idea to do all the chopping beforehand. Slice small circles from the green onions. Finely chop the shallots. Crush the garlic. These three will make the start of the dish. Cut the chicken breast into small pieces - about the size of your thumb. Slice the chili peppers into small, thin strips. Don’t get rid of the seeds - they’re responsible for the spice. If you’re using the tempeh, either cut it into small cubes or julienned strips. Now, to actually cook. Add a good splash of cooking oil to your wok. (You do have a wok, right? Right?) When it begins to steam, toss in the shallots, garlic and spring onions. Let these cook until you can easily smell their aroma. Now, add the chunks of chicken. Keep stirring constantly until the all the chicken is cooked. (i.e. you can’t see any raw portions) This is going to be quick. Add the egg, and as soon as it begins to fry stir everything and break up the egg. Add the rice immediately. While continually stirring, add the sweet soy sauce. About a teaspoon to a tablespoon worth will do, depending on how much you like soy sauce. Keep stirring - the rice should be evenly browned. Now add the chili peppers and about half of a teaspoon of sambal sauce. (So as not to offend your delicate Western palates, I’ve reduced the sambal amount significantly. Wimps.) Keep stirring. If you have the fried tempeh, add it now. After about another 2-4 minutes, everything should be ready. Serve with a fried egg on top.
