Nasi Siram Ayam Lada

NASI SIRAM AYAM LADA

Egg Fried Rice with Black Pepper Chicken This dish is inspired by a popular recipe from Queen’s Tandoor, a renowned Indo-Chinese restaurant in JAKARTA. They serve the most amazing food, be it Chinese or Indian. My favourite go to restaurant. A few years ago, they shared this recipe for one of their best-selling dishes.(my favourite too) It’s a comforting meal, reminiscent of the one-pot rice dishes popular in Indian-Chinese cuisine, but lighter and less saucy. Try this recipe for a hearty yet light meal!

EGG FRIED RICE

1. Heat a wok and add 1 tablespoon of oil.
2. Add 2 whisked eggs and let them cook for a few seconds before scrambling.( we want slightly big pieces of egg to be visible)
3. Stir in 2 tablespoons of finely chopped spring onions (both white and green parts) and 1 fresh red chili, sliced into rings.
4. Add 250 grams of cooked white jasmine rice (preferably leftover rice, not freshly cooked).
5. Season with 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce or kecap manis, salt to taste, and 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.
6. Saute on high flame, then add 1 tablespoon of butter, mix well, and set aside.

BLACK PEPPER CHICKEN GRAVY

1. Marinate 150 grams of sliced boneless chicken with 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
2. Heat 1/3 cup of oil in a pan, stir-fry the chicken slices until cooked, then remove them from the pan.
3. Discard excess oil, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan.
4. Add 1 tablespoon of ginger-garlic paste and sauté until fragrant.
5. Add 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of oyster sauce, and 2 teaspoons of sesame oil.
6. Toss the cooked chicken back into the pan and mix well.
7. Pour in 2 cups of hot water, bring to a boil, then add 4 tablespoons of Chinese cooking wine, 1 tablespoon of Maggi seasoning sauce (or Worcestershire sauce), 1 tablespoon of red chili paste, 1/2 teaspoon of MSG (or mushroom stock granules), 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper, and salt to taste.
8. To thicken the gravy, make a cornstarch slurry by mixing 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with cold water, then add it to the gravy until it reaches the desired consistency.

Serving

1. Place the hot egg fried rice on a serving platter.
2. Pour the black pepper chicken gravy over the rice (“SIRAM” style).

The word siram means Pour.

Serve with vinegar acar (pickled vegetables) and some chili sauce.

Acar (Pickled Vegetables)

Prep the vegetables:

• 10 shallots, halved
• 1/2 carrot, diced
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 1 red chili, sliced into rings

A few whole bird’s eye chilies

1. In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup of slightly warm water, 1 teaspoon of salt, 2 teaspoons of sugar, and 2 teaspoons of white vinegar.
2. Add the prepared vegetables to the vinegar mixture and let them sit for about an hour before serving.

Enjoy your comforting plate of Nasi Siram Ayam Lada!