Nasi Uduk Betawi

The Betawi people built the dish from Malay and Javanese cooking, and the name says what it is. Uduk means mixed, and the technique mixes rice with coconut milk instead of plain water.

Why the two-stage cooking

Coconut milk scorches. Cook rice in it from start to finish over direct heat and you get a burnt base and a raw centre. Absorbing the liquid first over low heat, then finishing in a steamer, lets the grains swell gently and stay separate.

The aromatics work the same way. Lemongrass, salam, galangal, and pandan release their oils into the coconut milk during the absorption stage, so the flavour sits inside the grain rather than on it.

Building the plate

Nasi uduk is a base, not a complete dish. The standard Jakarta spread includes tempe orek, telur balado, fried chicken or ayam goreng kremes, emping crackers, and sambal kacang. Start with two sides and add from there.

How to make it

1. 1

   Soak the rinsed rice in cold water for 20 minutes, then drain well.

2. 2

   Warm the coconut milk, water, lemongrass, salam leaves, galangal, pandan, salt, and coriander in a pot until steam rises. Do not boil hard, or the milk separates.

3. 3

   Stir the drained rice into the warm liquid. Cook over low heat, stirring now and then, until the rice absorbs everything and turns tender at the edges.

4. 4

   Transfer the half-cooked rice to a steamer lined with cloth or banana leaf. Steam over rapidly boiling water for 25 to 30 minutes.

5. 5

   Fluff the rice with a fork and pick out the lemongrass, salam, galangal, and pandan.

6. 6

   Scatter fried shallots over the top and serve with tempe orek, telur balado, sliced cucumber, and sambal kacang.

Serving notes

Serve with a torn heel of good bread, a green salad sharp with lemon, and a glass of something cold. Leftovers reheat beautifully with a splash of pasta water.