One of my family's favorite meals is Indonesian Fried Rice. My wife and I moved to Indonesia in 2005. We returned back to the United States (full-time) in 2016 with five kiddos in tow. There are countless things that we enjoyed about Indonesia, her people, and the culture. Food was one of them.
Rice Is A Staple Of The Indonesian Diet
There is a common saying in Indonesia - "You can't be full until you have eaten rice."
The love of rice is so strong that that rice is usually served for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. White rice is the most common form, but don't forget ...
- nasi goreng - fried rice
- nasi kuncing - yellow rice - often served for Indonesian Independence day
- bubur ayam - a porridge-like meal that consists of cooked down rice and chicken meat
- tapai - fermented rice
- regional rice dishes - as vast and unique as the hundreds of people groups that make up the country of Indonesia
Preparation And Patience - The Secret To Perfect Indonesian Fried Rice
I know! I know! You were probably thinking I was going to share some secret ingredient. You might have been hoping for a recipe that has been hidden in a vault for hundreds of years.
So why is the answer preparation and patience? For the best Indonesian fried rice, you need to cook the rice the day before and let it set in the refrigerator overnight.
I don't completely understand the science behind this logic, but I can speak from experience that it makes a world of difference. Cooled, cooked rice holds its shape better when you add the oil, spices, and other ingredients.
Want to rush the process? Want to skip some steps? Not patient enough? Then you end up with a bowl of mush!
Thinking ahead and waiting for the right amount of time are the keys to success.
Life Application
We live in a world that focuses on the right-now, and we seek instant gratification instead of delaying gratification for a better reward.
Preparation has become a lost art, and patience has become a lost pursuit. There are times that we must seize the moment, but there are times when we must take intentional, meaningful steps today with the intent of making even more meaningful steps tomorrow.
Fried Rice requires preparation and patience. The end goal is worth the wait. It is worth the time and effort required to make something great. The same applies to many things in life.
Let's continue the conversation in the comments.
- Do you struggle with being patient?
- What steps do you need to take to achieve a goal or dream that you are pursuing?
- What feelings emerge when you thinking about preparation and patience?
Thanks for stopping by. I look forward to hearing more from you.