Nasi Goreng

If you have leftover cold rice, fluff it with a fork; otherwise cook and chill Jasmine rice so it's dry and separated before frying.

Make the spice paste: finely chop or blitz together Shallots, Garlic, Bird's eye chilies and a small piece of toasted Belacan (fermented shrimp paste) until coarse — you want a fragrant, slightly chunky paste.

Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat and add about 2 tablespoons of Neutral oil. When hot, add the spice paste and stir-fry until fragrant and the oil turns slightly red and glossy, about 2–3 minutes.

Add the rice to the wok, breaking up any clumps and tossing well to coat each grain with the paste. Stir continuously so the rice heats through and picks up the color.

Season the rice by drizzling in Kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) and a splash of Light soy sauce for balance; sprinkle a little White pepper and Salt to taste. Toss thoroughly so the flavors are evenly distributed.

Push the rice to one side of the wok, add a touch more oil if needed, then crack in the Large eggs and scramble them gently until just set. Mix the eggs through the rice, or fry the eggs separately and top each serving.

Stir in most of the chopped Spring onions, reserving a little for garnish. Taste and adjust seasoning — more kecap manis for sweetness, soy for salt, or chilies for heat.

Divide the nasi goreng between plates and garnish with slices of Cucumber and Tomato, scatter some crunchy Prawn crackers (keropok) on the side, and serve with halved Calamansi limes to squeeze over for brightness.

Tip: use high heat and keep the rice moving to get a lightly toasted flavor; day-old rice works best because it's drier and fries up without going mushy.