Nasi Campur is a mixed rice dish from Indonesia, featuring small amounts of seasoned dishes on top of or alongside the rice. It is a cost-effective way to use leftover dishes and reflects the diversity of Indonesian culture. The dish varies in cooking methods and ingredients, and can include appetizers, soups, and condiments. It has become popular in Indonesia, with restaurants offering a personalized Nasi Campur experience.
Nasi Campur is a rice dish originally from Indonesia. It features a variety of small amounts of seasoned dishes on top of or alongside the rice, which is the main component of the whole dish. Nasi Campur is also enjoyed by other neighboring countries such as Singapore and Malaysia. It is also known in other regions as “Nasi Rames”.
The term “Nasi Campur” comes from the Bahasa language, with “nasi” translated as “rice”, while “campur” – pronounced cham-poor – means “to stir”, translating the term as “mixed rice”. It’s unclear where and when the dish came from, but what is evident is that the dish is an inexpensive way to use and re-cook any leftover dish types to produce a new type of dish. The dish also creates a unique and affordable experience for food enthusiasts who like to understand Indonesian culture with their special cuisines.
Indonesia, being an archipelago of thousands of islands, boasts diversity and multiplicity of cultures, a feature reflected in Nasi Campur. It is said that in every region, no two Nasi Rames dishes are the same. The cooking methods also vary, with the viandi being fried, steamed, grilled or stewed in coconut milk, although the rice is always boiled.
In Bali, the viandi included in the dish have a curry-like flavor with a distinct flavor of “basa genep,” a local mix of spices often used in dishes. The Javanese version of the dish, on the other hand, is often served with fried noodles, while the Chinese-style version is heavy on barbecued meats such as pork and chicken. Other protein dishes also include beef, duck and goat as well as a variety of seafood such as fish, shrimp and mussels. For those who are vegetarian, dishes in a Nasi Campur may include tofu, curried vegetables, and stir-fried bean sprouts.
Nasi Campur can also consist of some appetizer dishes like “kropek” or fried fish crackers, pickled vegetables and peanuts. An egg sunny side up or scrambled is often added to breakfast. Asians love soups and condiments, so the rice dish can also be accompanied by a bowl of hot soup or a small saucer of soy sauce, fish paste or chili. Some people say a cup of hot tea goes well with the dish, while others say a bottle of local beer is the ideal drink.
Indonesia has since expanded the dish’s popularity, with restaurants dedicated solely to producing a personalized Nasi Campur for each customer. A typical restaurant would have a range of dishes in a separate area, much like a buffet where customers simply help themselves to whatever dish they like. Some restaurants would even have more than a hundred dishes to choose from, and the price of the meal would depend on which dishes were selected.
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