CHILLI BASIL COCONUT FRIED RICE

SERVES 4

“This rice dish is the most forkable plate of food – meaning it’s hard to take a breath between mouthfuls. Indonesian cuisine has this incredible talent of only writing smash hits and hitting all the killer notes for a number one on the charts every single time. I would happily have this every night of the week.”

2 cups (400g) jasmine rice

400ml coconut milk

1 pandan leaf, tied in a knot (optional,

see notes)

1/4 cup (60ml) vegetable oil

2 tbs dried anchovies (see notes),

chopped

1/4 cup (35g) raw peanuts

2 French shallots, finely chopped (can

sub with 1 small brown onion)

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

6 shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced 4 eggs

1/4 cup (75g) sambal oelek, plus

extra to serve

2 tbs kecap manis, plus extra to serve 1/2 bunch basil (or holy basil, if you can

get your hands on it)

Sliced telegraph cucumber and tomato,

to serve

Place rice, coconut milk, pandan leaf

(if using) and 1 cup (250ml) water in a wok over high heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 12 minutes, or until rice is cooked through. Fluff with a fork and transfer to a tray to cool slightly.

Clean pan and return to high heat with 2 tbs oil. Add anchovies and peanuts and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until turning golden. Add French shallot, garlic and mushroom and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until softened. Transfer to tray with rice.

Return wok to heat with remaining oil. Crack eggs into a bowl and whisk with 2 tbs water. Add to wok, swirling to coat the surface and create a thin omelette. Bring edges in then swirl again and cook, without touching, for 1-2 minutes, or until cooked through. Roughly cut with a spoon then add rice and veg mixture, sambal, kecap manis and most of the basil and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, or until coated and cooked through.

Divide among serving bowls and serve with cucumber and tomato, extra sambal and kecap manis and remaining basil.

NOTES: Pandan leaves are used in Southeast and South Asian cuisine – these fragrant leaves can be found fresh if you’re lucky or typically frozen in Asian supermarkets. Dried anchovies are found in Asian supermarkets. They give an incredible depth to this dish. To jazz this up, boil eggs for 10 minutes. Refresh in iced water, peel and transfer to a bowl with 1 tsp turmeric, 2 tbs soy sauce and 1 tbs rice vinegar. Toss to coat and chill overnight to marinate and pickle slightly. Halve and serve with rice and ditch the omelette element of the dish.