Nasi Uduk (Betawi Coconut Rice)
Betawi style nasi uduk made in a rice cooker with coconut milk, lemongrass, pandan, Indonesian bay leaves, ginger, galangal and coriander. The coconut milk counts towards the cooker’s liquid level, and the rice rests for 10 minutes before serving.
Ingredients
For the rice
- 360 ml dry jasmine rice measured as two level 180ml rice-cooker cups; approximately 300g
- 125 ml unsweetened full-fat coconut milk stirred until smooth
- Water enough to reach the cooker’s two-cup line recommended for jasmine rice after adding the rice and coconut milk; follow any different coconut-rice liquid guidance for your model
- 2 lemongrass stalks trimmed and bruised
- 2 pandan leaves washed and loosely knotted; thaw first if frozen
- 4 Indonesian bay leaves or daun salam, fresh, frozen or dried
- 2 thin slices peeled fresh ginger about 5g in total
- 2 thin slices galangal about 5g in total
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ⅛ teaspoon fine salt
Optional, to serve
- 2 tablespoons crisp fried shallots
- 1 small cucumber sliced
Instructions
- Measure two level 180ml rice-cooker cups of dry rice, or 360ml with a measuring jug. Rinse until the water becomes less cloudy, then drain in a fine sieve for about 5 minutes while preparing the aromatics. Do not soak.
- Trim and bruise the lemongrass, folding or cutting it to fit the pot. Wash and knot the pandan. Rinse the Indonesian bay leaves and prepare the ginger and galangal slices.
- Spread the drained rice evenly in the inner pot. Add 125ml coconut milk, then add water to the two-cup line recommended for jasmine rice. Stir gently, level the rice and recheck the liquid with the pot sitting flat, before adding aromatics. Follow any different coconut-rice liquid guidance for your model instead.
- Stir in the coriander and salt. Add the lemongrass, pandan, Indonesian bay leaves, ginger and galangal. Close the lid and run the recommended jasmine-rice cycle, usually white-rice or a dedicated jasmine setting, until the cooker signals completion.
- Leave the lid closed and rest the rice on the warm setting for 10 minutes.
- Remove the lemongrass, pandan, Indonesian bay leaves, ginger and galangal. Fluff gently with a rice paddle and serve, adding the optional fried shallots and cucumber if desired.
Notes
- Measure dry rice before rinsing. Use two level 180ml rice-cooker cups, or 360ml in total, not two standard 240ml or 250ml kitchen cups. The approximate 300g weight is a guide, not a replacement for the volume reference used by the pot’s line.
- Coconut milk replaces some of the water. Add it before topping up to the line; do not fill with water first and then add the coconut milk.
- Read the liquid level before adding bulky leaves and stalks. The exact millilitres of water depend on the cooker’s calibrated pot, so no universal additional water quantity is specified.
- Use the line and setting recommended for jasmine rice, including a dedicated jasmine line if provided. Your cooker must permit coconut-milk rice. Follow any model-specific liquid instructions in preference to the general fill-to-line method.
- The 15-minute preparation estimate includes measuring, rinsing, draining and preparing the aromatics. The 30-minute cooking time is an estimate, so total time is 25 minutes plus your cooker’s actual cycle. Run the full cycle even if it takes longer.
- Jasmine rice gives the intended fragrant, tender texture. Brown, glutinous, instant or precooked rice are not direct substitutes for this method.
- Indonesian bay leaves are daun salam, not Mediterranean bay leaves. Omit them if unavailable; the flavour will be less complete. Fresh or frozen pandan leaves are preferable to essence or sweetened paste.
- No soaking time is needed. Rest the cooked rice for the full 10 minutes before fluffing.
- Cool leftovers promptly, ideally within one hour, and refrigerate for no more than 24 hours. Do not leave rice cooling in the cooker. Reheat once until steaming hot throughout and eat immediately.
Nutrition
Calories: 367kcalCarbohydrates: 67gProtein: 6gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.5gSodium: 83mgPotassium: 305mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 61IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 2mg
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