Fried Rice with Dried Anchovies (Nasi Goreng Ikan Bilis)

Fried Rice with Dried Anchovies

I love cooking fried rice for lunch. The thing I like best about fried rice is its versatility. You can pretty much make fried rice with anything. Today I wanted a very simple and homely version with ikan bilis or dried anchovies. This dish is a staple in many Malay homes . As you can see in the following, the steps involved in cooking fried rice are very standard. What changes are the ingredients. If you master the technique, this simple dish will reward you with a deliciously satisfying lunch at a fraction of its cost when purchased. I think that 2 things are key in making great fried rice: 
1. The wok has to be super hot, to prevent the ingredients sticking onto the wok. 
2. You need to use overnight rice, that although fully cooked, is 'hard' in consistency. 
We'll get better with each practice. Happy frying! - Ros

Level: Easy

Time: 20 mins

Servings: 2

Ingredients

- 1 medium size carrot (diced finely)

- 1 handful of dried anchovies (split to half and cleaned)

- 2 cups of cooked rice (refrigerated overnight and with hard consistency)

- 2 dashes of fish sauce

- 4 thai chillies, 1 red jalapenos (diced finely. Also please adjust to taste, if you don't want it spicy, just delete this ingredient)

- 3 eggs (beaten with a pinch of salt)

- Salt to taste

- Olive oil (3 tbsp olive oil)

Preparation

1. Scramble the egg in a heated wok. Use spatula to cut egg into small bites. Set aside.

2. Strip the dried anchovies into two midway. Clean with running water.

3. Fry the dried anchovies in a heated wok with 1 tbsp of olive oil until crispy. Set aside.

4. Using the same wok, add 1 tbsp of olive oil. Fry the diced carrots and chillies for about 2 mintutes.

5. Add the cooked rice and mix completely.

6. Add 2 dashes of fish sauce.

7. Mix all ingredients well, and finally add back in the scrambled eggs and the fried anchovies.

8. Serve hot. Enjoy!