Malaysian Village-Style Fried Rice with Anchovies and Chilies

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A rustic Malaysian fried rice packed with crispy fried anchovies, fiery bird's eye chilies, fragrant sambal, and tender long beans. The secret is using day-old jasmine rice so each grain stays separate and toasts beautifully in the wok. Served with a fried egg and crisp cucumber slices, this is the kind of home-style comfort food Malaysians grew up eating for breakfast or late-night supper.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 540 kcalCalories
• 22 gFat
• 4 gSaturated Fat
• 68 gCarbs
• 4 gFiber
• 6 gSugar
• 20 gProtein
• 920 mgSodium
• 480 mgPotassium
• 140 mgCalcium
• 3.5 mgIron
• 22 mgVitamin C
• 380 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the sambal base

• 6 large red shallots, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 8 fresh red bird's eye chilies, trimmed
• 3 candlenuts or macadamia nuts
• 1 teaspoon toasted shrimp paste (belacan)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the fried rice

• 4 cups day-old cooked jasmine rice, cold
• 1 cup dried anchovies (ikan bilis), rinsed and drained
• 1 cup long beans (or green beans), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 small carrot, diced
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon dark sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar

For finishing

• 4 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 cucumber, sliced
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• 2 tablespoons crispy fried shallots, for garnish

Directions

1. Blend shallots, garlic, chilies, candlenuts, and toasted shrimp paste in a small food processor to form a coarse paste. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok over medium heat and fry the paste for 5 to 6 minutes until darkened and aromatic, stirring often.
2. Add the dried anchovies to the wok and stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until they turn golden and crisp. Remove half the anchovies with a slotted spoon and set aside for garnish.
3. Toss the long beans and carrot into the remaining paste and stir-fry for 2 minutes until just tender but still bright. Add the cold jasmine rice, breaking up any clumps with the back of your spatula.
4. Drizzle in the light soy sauce, dark sweet soy sauce, white pepper, and sugar. Toss vigorously over high heat for 4 to 5 minutes until the rice is evenly coated, slightly smoky, and heated through.
5. In a separate nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and fry the eggs sunny-side up until the edges are crisp and the yolks remain runny.
6. Spoon the rice onto warm plates, top each with a fried egg, and scatter over the reserved crispy anchovies and fried shallots. Serve immediately with cucumber slices and lime wedges.
7. Squeeze lime over the rice just before eating to brighten all the flavors.

Cook’s Notes

• Day-old rice is essential: fresh rice has too much moisture and will turn mushy in the wok.
• Toast the belacan (shrimp paste) in a dry pan for 30 seconds before blending; this deepens the umami flavor.
• Adjust the number of chilies up or down depending on your heat tolerance, and remove the seeds for milder results.
• Keep the wok over high heat throughout the stir-fry so the rice gets a slight smoky char (wok hei).
• For extra protein, add 1 cup of small peeled shrimp along with the long beans in step 3.

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