Nasi katok is a familiar affordable meal across Brunei: steamed white rice, fried chicken and a punchy sambal, traditionally packed as a simple serving. The sauce varies from stall to stall.
- Cook
- 35–40 minutes
- Serves
- 4
- Cuisine
- Bruneian
- Course
- Main dish
The recipe
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Ingredients
Quantities change with servings; cooking times stay the same.
Equipment
Method
Prepare the chicken. Pat chicken dry and coat with 30 ml lime juice, ginger, 18 g garlic, 5 g salt, turmeric and pepper. Refrigerate for 20 minutes while preparing the sauce.
Start the sambal. Blend tomato, shallots, softened chilies, 12 g garlic and a splash of clean water into a paste. Heat 20 ml oil in a saucepan and cook the paste on medium-low for 15–20 minutes until thickened and fragrant. Stir in sugar, the sambal salt and 15 ml lime juice. Keep hot or chill promptly.
Cook the rice. Rinse jasmine rice until the water is mostly clear. Add 520 ml water to a lidded pot, bring to a boil, cover and simmer very gently for 12–15 minutes. Rest, covered, for 10 minutes; fluff before serving.
Fry the chicken. Heat frying oil to about 170°C in a stable high-sided pan, with plenty of room above the oil. Fry chicken in batches, generally 12–18 minutes for medium bone-in pieces, turning as needed. Check the thickest meat reaches at least 75°C, avoiding the bone.
Drain and serve. Rest chicken on a rack. Serve one piece with a scoop of rice and a separate spoonful of sambal, packing the sauce separately if preparing takeaway portions.
Chef’s notes
- Nasi katok is defined by its simple rice–chicken–sambal combination, not one fixed sambal recipe.
- Keep the oil temperature steady; overcrowding produces greasy chicken and uneven cooking.
- For a less spicy sauce, remove the chili seeds and replace some chili with tomato.
Substitutions and Variations
- Boneless chicken thighs can be used; shorten frying time and verify the internal temperature.
- Cook the chicken in an air fryer for a lighter adaptation, clearly distinct from the traditional fried version.
- Use milder fresh chili instead of dried chili if necessary.
Storage and Food Safety
Cool cooked rice quickly, preferably within 1 hour; refrigerate at 4°C or below and eat within 24 hours. Refrigerate cooked chicken and sambal in separate containers within 2 hours and use within 2 days. Reheat rice only once and chicken to at least 75°C.
Serving Suggestions
Hot steamed rice, freshly fried chicken and chili sambal.
Serve with
Hot steamed rice, freshly fried chicken and chili sambal.
Allergens
The base preparation does not intentionally use common major allergens, but verify spice blends and commercial sambal ingredients. Fried foods may encounter cross-contact in shared oil.
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