flour & eggs

Chicken and Lime Nasi Goreng 

Who says making an Asian meal needs to take forever? This is so simple, but the flavours and textures of this dish scream experienced cook. I reckon you could trick your friends into thinking that you slaved in the kitchen all day. 

This dish is also so adaptable; if you don’t like chicken or aren’t a meat eater, then you could easily omit the chicken, or replace it with a meat, or fish, of your choice.

Although it is a simple dish, it does require preparation, but fear not, that doesn’t involve days of preparation; just a few minutes. 

ingredients (serves 2)

• 150g rice (I prefer brown, but any boil rice would do)
• 2tbsp runny honey
• 1tbsp soy sauce
• 2tsp fish sauce
• 1 hot finger chilli, very finely chopped
• A few drops of sesame oil
• 1tsp lime juice
• 100g fine beans, ends left on
• 1 carrot, very finely sliced (julienne if possible)
• 1 onion (I only had red left in the bowl, so that is what I used)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1tsp salt
• 2 chicken breast fillets 
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Handful of fresh coriander, chopped
• 2tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 lime, chopped into long quarters.

method 

1. Cook the rice according to packet instruction, then drain and set aside. 
2. For the sauce, combine the honey, soy, fish sauce, chopped chilli, sesame oil and lime juice in a bowl, mix, and set aside.
3. To prepare the beans and carrots, place into a large mixing bowl, and pour over some freshly boiled water. Leave to soak for around three minutes, then drain, and…you’ve guessed it… set aside. 
4. Chop the onion very finely and chop the garlic very finely, then make into a paste with the salt. Put the onion and garlic in a bowl. Chop the chicken into cubes of around 1cm and add to the bowl with the onions. That is the end of the preparation. Wasn’t so bad was it?
5. Now, heat the sunflower oil in a large shallow casserole or frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic and chicken, and fry, stirring, until the chicken is cooked through - about 4 minutes. 
6. Add the rice, beans and carrots and manipulate around the pan for about 2 minutes. To incorporate the egg, with your spatula push the contents of the pan to one side and into the clean half of the pan pour the beaten eggs and stir until scrambled. Mix the eggs into chicken and rice and remove from the heat. 
7. Immediately pour the sauce into the pan and mix well - I find it helps to use two spatulas for this.  
8. Serve with some freshly chopped coriander and a good spritz of lime juice.