Indonesian Coconut Rice (Nasi Uduk)

Aromatic and fragrant Indonesian coconut rice that you will never get enough of, this Nasi Uduk is made by cooking rice in coconut milk (or the rich coconut cream) and some spices such as bay leaves, lime leaves, lemongrass and so on. The combination of coconut milk and spices will bring the best flavor of the rice. Nasi uduk is usually served with assortment of side dishes – egg strips, tempeh, fried chicken, sambal and so on. In Malaysia or Singapore, nasi uduk is quite similar to nasi lemak, with a bit of distinct flavor.

Though Indonesian coconut rice, or nasi uduk, looks complicated, it is actually quite simple to make, especially if you have instant pot or rice cooker. You just need to put all the ingredients into the inner pot of your kitchen gadgets. Then, let it cook automatically. Then, give the rice a fluff prior to serving. Also, you can basically mix-and-match the side dishes that goes with nasi uduk. See below in the recipe for ideas of side dishes. Let’s get cooking, shall we?

Tools I used:

• Instant Pot – I love this kitchen gadget, particularly it’s because it has multiple functions that it can replace my rice cooker, pressure cooker, slow cooker and much more. So, in a way, I get my kitchen space back . In all seriousness, with the pressure cooker, it cut down the time to cook stew for example and you can cook many things with it.

Tip: Highly recommended to use jasmine rice because the short-grain rice will result in stickier rice. Also, if you are using coconut milk instead of coconut cream, make sure that you reduce the amount of water used.

Ingredient:

• 2 cups jasmine rice
• ¼ cup coconut cream (or ½ cup coconut milk – ensure reduce about ¼ cup water when using coconut milk)
• 1.5 cups water (2 cups water if using rice cooker)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 stalk lemongrass – cut into 3 equal portions and smash them
• 3-4 lime leaves
• Fried shallot (to garnish)
• Sweet soy sauce (optional)

Toppings

• 3 eggs + a pinch of salt and pepper + 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• Ayam panggang bumbu kuning (Indonesian crispy yellow baked chicken)
• Tempe kriuk renyah (crunchy deep-fried tempeh)
• Sambal bajak (Indonesian spicy chili sauce)
• Any other toppings (sliced cucumber, perkedel kentang, vegetable fritters, and so on)

Direction:

• Wash the rice thoroughly and drain off the water. Transfer the rice to the inner bowl of the instant pot or rice cooker.
• Then, add water, coconut cream, salt, bay leaves, lime leaves and lemon grass. Give them a good stir.
• Close the lids and ensure to seal off the steam release valve, if you are using instant pot.
• Then, press the “rice” button on instant pot (or the cook button for rice cooker). Let it cook automatically. Once done, let the instant pot release the steam naturally before you open the lid.
• Once you can open the lid, fluff the rice using a rice paddle and remove all the herbs and spices.

Egg Strips

• Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl and add a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Pre-heat the olive oil on a non-stick pan. Once heated, pour the egg and let it cook for about 12-15 seconds.
• When the bottom has hardened a bit, flip over and let the other side cook for another 10-15 seconds.
• Transfer the egg to the cutting board and let is cool down before cutting into strips.

Cook & Serve

• Scoop the rice and place it on the place. Sprinkle some fried shallot on top of the rice. You can drizzle some sweet soy sauce if you’d like.
• Place the egg strips, chicken, tempeh, sambal and any other things that you like around the rice.
• Serve and enjoy!