Nasi Campur

A mound of fluffy steamed rice sits at the center of this home-style platter, surrounded by a colorful spread of Indonesian sides: crispy spiced shredded chicken, tender beef simmered in a sweet soy gravy, a fresh raw tomato sambal, a spicy stir-fried green vegetable, and a second crispy chili-coconut topping. Nasi Campur means “mixed rice,” and it’s exactly that — a little of everything, all on one plate.

Each side dish can be prepared ahead and stored separately, which makes this platter a great way to use a Sunday afternoon for cooking and enjoy the payoff across the week. The result is a well-rounded meal with contrasting textures and flavors in every bite — crispy, saucy, spicy, and fresh.

Nasi Campur is my Sunday ritual as much as it is a recipe. I set aside a few hours, put on a podcast, and work through each component one at a time — chicken first, beef next since it needs the longest simmer, sambal last since it comes together in minutes. There’s something satisfying about ending the day with five containers lined up in the fridge, knowing most of my lunches for the week are already sorted. It’s the dish that taught me meal prep doesn’t have to feel like a chore if you actually enjoy the process.

What’s on the Plate

• Nasi Putih: Steamed white rice, the centerpiece of the platter.
• Serundeng Ayam Pedas: Crispy, spicy shredded chicken.
• Semur Daging: Beef simmered in a sweet soy gravy.
• Sambal Tomat Mentah: A fresh, raw tomato sambal.
• Sayur Pelecing: Stir-fried greens and bean sprouts in a spicy sambal.
• Serundeng Kelapa Pedas: A second crispy, spiced coconut topping.

Bahan-bahan

For the Nasi Putih (Steamed Rice)

• 2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
• 2½ cups water
• 1 tbsp crispy fried shallots, for topping

For the Serundeng Ayam Pedas (Spicy Crispy Shredded Chicken)

• 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast
• 3 large red chilies, chopped
• 2 shallots
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• ½ sdt garam
• ½ tsp sugar

For the Semur Daging (Beef in Sweet Soy Gravy)

• ½ lb (225 g) beef chuck, cut into chunks
• 2 tbsp sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 shallots, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• Salt, to taste

For the Sambal Tomat Mentah (Fresh Tomato Sambal)

• 2 ripe tomatoes, diced
• ½ cucumber, diced
• 3 bird’s eye chilies, chopped
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp lime juice
• ½ sdt garam
• ½ tsp sugar

For the Sayur Pelecing (Spicy Stir-Fried Greens)

• 2 cups kangkung (water spinach) or spinach, trimmed
• ½ cup bean sprouts
• 3 large red chilies
• 2 bird’s eye chilies
• 2 shallots
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• ½ sdt garam
• ½ tsp sugar

For the Serundeng Kelapa Pedas (Spicy Crispy Coconut)

• 1 cup grated coconut (fresh or unsweetened desiccated, rehydrated)
• 2 large red chilies, chopped
• 1 shallot
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• ½ sdt garam
• ½ tsp sugar

Untuk Penyajian

• Cucumber slices

Substitusi Mudah

• Chicken breast: Chicken thigh can be used for a juicier shredded chicken.
• Beef chuck: Beef shank or brisket also works well for the semur.
• Kangkung: Baby spinach or watercress can be substituted if kangkung isn’t available.
• Fresh coconut: Unsweetened desiccated coconut, rehydrated with a splash of water, works well in place of fresh grated coconut.

Instruksi Memasak Langkah demi Langkah

1. Cook the rice. Combine the rinsed rice and water in a rice cooker or pot. Cook according to your rice cooker’s instructions, or bring to a boil on the stovetop, then cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Fluff and mold into a dome on the serving plate, then top with crispy fried shallots.

2. Make the spicy shredded chicken. Blend the red chilies, shallots, and garlic into a coarse paste. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the paste for 3–4 minutes until fragrant. Add the shredded chicken, salt, and sugar, and stir-fry for 4–5 minutes until well coated and slightly crisp at the edges.

3. Make the semur daging. Heat the oil in a pot and sauté the shallots and garlic until fragrant. Add the beef and sear until lightly browned. Stir in the sweet soy sauce, soy sauce, tomato, nutmeg, and water. Cover and simmer on low heat for 45–60 minutes, until the beef is tender and the sauce has thickened. Season with salt to taste.

4. Make the fresh tomato sambal. In a bowl, combine the diced tomato, cucumber, bird’s eye chilies, and shallot. Stir in the lime juice, salt, and sugar. Toss gently and let sit for 5 minutes so the flavors meld.

5. Make the spicy stir-fried greens. Blend the red chilies, bird’s eye chilies, shallots, and garlic into a coarse paste. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the paste for 2–3 minutes until fragrant. Add the kangkung and bean sprouts, and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until just wilted but still bright green. Season with salt and sugar.

6. Make the spicy crispy coconut. Blend the red chilies, shallot, and garlic into a paste. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the paste for 2 minutes, then add the grated coconut, salt, and sugar. Stir constantly over medium heat for 8–10 minutes until golden and crumbly. Let cool completely so it stays crisp.

7. Assemble the platter. Arrange the rice in the center of a plate. Place small portions of the spicy shredded chicken, semur daging, fresh tomato sambal, spicy stir-fried greens, and spicy crispy coconut around the rice. Add cucumber slices for a fresh finish.

Tips for the Best Nasi Campur

• Cook components ahead: The semur, serundeng, and sambal all keep well for a few days, so they can be made in advance and assembled fresh on serving day.
• Cool the crispy toppings fully: Let both the shredded chicken and coconut serundeng cool completely before serving so they stay crisp instead of turning soggy.
• Keep the greens bright: Stir-fry the kangkung just until wilted; overcooking dulls the color and softens the texture too much.
• Make the tomato sambal fresh: This sambal is best made close to serving time, since the tomato and cucumber release water and soften if left sitting too long.

Penyimpanan & Pemanasan Ulang

Storage: Let each component cool completely before storing. Keep the rice, spicy shredded chicken, semur, sambal, greens, and crispy coconut in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator.

How long does it last? Refrigerate all components within 2 hours of cooking. The rice and greens are best used within 2 days; the shredded chicken, semur, and crispy coconut keep well for up to 4 days when stored at 40°F (4°C) or below. The fresh tomato sambal is best eaten within a few hours.

Reheating: Reheat the rice in the microwave with a splash of water to keep it moist. Warm the semur and greens gently in a pan or microwave until heated through. Keep the crispy shredded chicken and crispy coconut unheated, or warm them briefly in a dry pan to re-crisp. Make a fresh batch of tomato sambal if the original has softened.

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Kartu Resep

Prep Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 20 mins Total Time: 2 hrs Servings: 4 servings

Bahan-bahan

For the Rice

• 2 cups long-grain white rice
• 2½ cups water
• 1 tbsp crispy fried shallots, for topping

For the Spicy Shredded Chicken

• 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast
• 3 large red chilies, chopped
• 2 shallots
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• ½ sdt garam
• ½ tsp sugar

For the Semur Daging

• ½ lb (225 g) beef chuck, cubed
• 2 tbsp sweet soy sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 shallots, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• Salt, to taste

For the Fresh Tomato Sambal

• 2 ripe tomatoes, diced
• ½ cucumber, diced
• 3 bird’s eye chilies, chopped
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp lime juice
• ½ sdt garam
• ½ tsp sugar

For the Spicy Stir-Fried Greens

• 2 cups kangkung or spinach
• ½ cup bean sprouts
• 3 large red chilies
• 2 bird’s eye chilies
• 2 shallots
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• ½ sdt garam
• ½ tsp sugar

For the Spicy Crispy Coconut

• 1 cup grated coconut
• 2 large red chilies, chopped
• 1 shallot
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• ½ sdt garam
• ½ tsp sugar

Untuk Penyajian

• Cucumber slices

Estimated Nutrition Information (Per Serving)

• Calories: ~640 kcal
• Protein: 36 g
• Carbohydrates: 58 g
• Fat: 30 g
• Fiber: 6 g

Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, and portion sizes used.