Nasi Goreng Daging Cincang (Minced Beef Fried Rice)

Nasi goreng daging cincang, or minced beef fried rice is yet another delicious fried rice recipe from my kitchen to yours. Like all fried rice recipe, this one’s a walk in the park.

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

What is Nasi Goreng Daging Cincang?

Let’s break it down, shall we?

• Nasi = rice
• Goreng = fried/to fry
• Daging = meat
• Cincang = chopped, minced/to chop, to mince

So, minced beef fried rice.

It’s a very easy recipe, and like all nasi goreng recipes, is fluid and open to interpretation.

Authentic Nasi Goreng Recipe

Do you want the good news or the bad news first? Let’s start with the bad news, shall we? There is no single authentic nasi goreng recipe. Yep, you read that right.

Nasi goreng sambal, Malaysian nasi goreng, nasi goreng from Singapore, nasi goreng kampung, Indonesian nasi goreng – every version is different and every version could be called authentic.

So the good news? Any rice that you fry up is nasi goreng. Seriously. Confused? I talk about this a little more on this Nasi Goreng Recipe. Go ahead and have a little read.

TLDR: nasi goreng just means fried rice. Any fried rice.

So next time you read that nasi goreng is Indonesian fried rice, just shake your head and feel smug – because you know better!

Ingredients for our Nasi Goreng Daging Cincang

The beauty of nasi goreng is that it’s gloriously unfussy. Some ingredients are traditional; some are just what’s lounging in your fridge hoping for redemption.

Let’s take a look at what we’re using in today’s recipe, and how we can swap them.

Minced Beef

Since minced beef is the basis of today’s recipe, that’s the meat or protein we need. I’m using lean minced beef, just 5% fat. We’re only using a small amount, and it’s going to be fried, so there is no need for more fat content, it won’t be adding much in terms of flavour.

But can you use a higher fat content mince for today’s fried rice recipe? Sure you can.

You can also use sliced pieces of beef, if you like, but they have to be of the quick-cook variety, like flank steak or sirloin. Just do a Google search if you’re not sure, and bear in mind also that cuts of meat can be called different thing in different parts of the world.

Can you use other types of mince? Go for it.

Rice

You want cold, day-old (or 2 days) rice, see why below.

This can be white rice or brown rice, whatever you regularly eat or happen to have. Can you use other starches or even quinoa to make today’s fried rice? Sure you can. Substitute it like for like.

Vegetables

I’m using some white cabbage and a tomato – that’s it. You can toss in sliced green beans, carrots, or whatever greens are currently judging you from the fridge drawer. Honestly, it’s all about taste, and using up the veg before they stage a revolt.

The Aromatics

Just onion and garlic and usual, and some sliced red chillies if you don’t happen to have a red chilli paste on hand.

I’m using my trusted cili boh (out of the freezer). If you are serious about cooking Singaporean and Malaysian recipes, make yourself a batch of cili boh (click for recipe) and store in ice cube trays.

The Sauces

The sauces we use when cooking nasi goreng is what distinguishes it from Chinese fried rice, or perhaps even Thai fried rice.

I’m keeping it simple here with just light soy sauce, sweet soy sauce and tomato ketchup.

Topping

You can finish your fried rice with any number of toppings you like. A fried egg seems to be non negotiable for many people. This can be sunny side up or strips of omelette.

Spring onions (scallions or green onions) are always a great finish for that little bit of fresh onion flavour and aroma.

Some people also like crispy fried shallots with their nasi goreng.

And a final dollop of sambal is always good. No wait, let me rephrase that. It’s necessary. Feel free to use shop bought sambal oelek if you like, but I have a 3-ingredient sambal oelek recipe here on my YouTube channel.

Instead of sambal, you can also use Chinese chilli oil (crisp). We have many sambal recipes here, just head to the Sambal Recipes page.

Why You Must Use Cold, Day-Old Rice for Nasi Goreng

This is non-negotiable. Nasi goreng made with fresh rice will clump, stick, and generally behave like a toddler refusing to get dressed.

Cold, day-old rice is drier, firmer, and separates beautifully in the wok. It soaks up all the kicap manis, sambal, beef juices, and garlicky goodness without turning into mush. This is the secret behind every Malaysian nasi goreng, Indonesian nasi goreng, and nasi goreng from Singapore worth its salt (or soy sauce).

If you only have fresh rice, spread it out on a tray and let it cool completely, preferably in the fridge. Your finished dish will thank you.

I think a post on the science behind using cold rice for fried rice is needed. Don’t you?

Nasi Goreng Daging Cincang Knows No Rules

We covered this right at the start. There is no single authentic nasi goreng recipe because nasi goreng literally means fried rice. Every household makes it differently, and that’s the whole charm. More sambal? Go for it. Less soy sauce? Your call. Add peas? Fine. Add leftover steak and pretend you’re fancy? Absolutely.

Serve your nasi goreng cincang with a fried egg (almost mandatory), cucumber slices (optional virtue), and extra sambal (what’s life without spice?). It’s the perfect fix for weeknight dinners, late-night cravings, and “I cannot be bothered” cooking days. I have so many of those these days.

Go ahead, give this a go and let me know what you think. Got questions? Just drop me a line.

Remember to post a picture on Instagram and tag me @azlinbloor.

Lin xx