In Indonesia, nasi kuning is a traditional yellow rice flavored with coconut and turmeric. This festive dish, sometimes also served as a tumpeng, is most often eaten on the occasion of joyous events.
What is nasi kuning?
Nasi kuning is a traditional yellow rice dish in Indonesia. The rice is cooked in coconut milk and flavored with fresh turmeric, along with several other spices and herbs.
It includes lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves (a citrus fruit resembling lime), salam leaves (a kind of Indonesian bay leaf), ginger, chopped galangal and garlic.
Since salam leaves are difficult to obtain outside Indonesia, it is possible to substitute them with a combination of bay leaves and kaloupilé (curry leaves).
Some versions can also be flavored with cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves.
What is the origin of nasi kuning?
Nasi kuning, or nasi kunyit, is an Indonesian dish that originates from the island of Java. Nasi kuning literally means “yellow rice” in the Indonesian language, and nasi kunyit, “turmeric rice”.
In Indonesian culture, this dish is usually prepared for big events and happy festivities to be shared with relatives: birthday party, wedding, birth, graduation ceremony, etc.
Nasi kuning has a particular symbolism in the eyes of Indonesians. Thus, the yellow color of turmeric, associated with the grains of rice, represents a pile of gold, a symbol of wealth, prosperity and good health.
Rice is a central element in the diet of Indonesians. The cult of Dewi Sri, the goddess of rice and fertility, is still widely held in Bali and Java, where locals celebrate the start of the harvest every year.
Nasi tumpeng
Traditionally, nasi kuning is molded into a cone shape using a large bamboo mold, then topped with a banana leaf at the tip. The rice cone is then placed in the center of a dish, with the sides arranged all around. The tip of the cone is then cut and presented to the dean of the party (the oldest person). In this form, nasi kuning takes the name of nasi tumpeng.
Tumpeng designates the presentation itself and is therefore not necessarily carried out with nasi kuning. There are thus several variations of tumpeng, depending on the type of occasion to be celebrated. Tumpeng nasi kuning, as it has been said, is served as a sign of good fortune in rather festive and happy events.
There is also tumpeng putih, for example, which is used during certain Javanese religious ceremonies. Tumpeng robyong, on the other hand, is reserved for the party held during a woman’s 7th month of pregnancy. In these two cases, the rice is not flavored, and left natural.
What is nasi kuning served with?
The special thing about this is that it is always served with a wide variety of dishes. Among the most common accompaniments are sliced omelet (telur dadar gulung), shrimp (kerupuk udang) or classic chips (emping), as well as vegetables for decoration (cucumber and tomato).
Nasi kuning can also be accompanied by various other Indonesian specialties:
- Teri kacang (fried anchovies with peanuts and chili)
- Ayam goreng (fried chicken with spices)
- Serundeng (spicy coconut condiment)
- Sambal goreng (fried tempeh and potatoes)
- Urap (mixture of vegetables and coconut shavings)
- Perkedel (potato and minced meat dumplings)
- Sambal (chili-based condiment)
- Udang balado (spicy shrimp with sambal)
- Kering kentang garing (roasted potatoes in sauce)
Finally, more elaborate versions may be presented with fried beef brains or paru goreng (fried beef lung).
Variations
In Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province, nasi kuning is served with cakalang, a dish of smoked and salted pink tuna or stripe-bellied bonito. Its presentation also differs from the Javanese nasi kuning. Instead of being molded and placed in the center of a plate, it is wrapped in a sugarcane leaf.
Yellow rice is also consumed in several other Southeast Asian countries. In Sri Lanka it is called kaha buth. Kaha buth is cooked with ghee and contains onions, curry leaves, and pepper.
In the Philippines, and especially on the island of Mindanao, the Marina tribe also prepares a version of turmeric rice simply called kuning. Unlike Indonesian yellow rice, kuning does not contain coconut milk.
Nasi Kuning
Ingredients
- 1¼ cup jasmine rice , or other fragrant rice
- 2 pandan leaves , tied
- 5 inch piece of fresh turmeric , peeled and chopped
- 6 tablespoons boiling water
- 4 stems fresh lemongrass
- 3 kaffir lime leaves
- 2 tablespoons galangal , peeled and grated
- 1½ inch piece of ginger , peeled and chopped
- 5 salam leaves (Indonesian bay)
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 3 cloves garlic , crushed
- 1 tablespoon coarse salt
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the chopped fresh turmeric and the 6 tablespoons of boiling water and let steep for 15 minutes. Set aside.
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then pour into a casserole dish that can be fitted with a steamer basket, which will be used later in the recipe.
- Add the coconut milk.
- Add water to cover the rice, about 1 inch (2 cm) above the rice.
- Add the kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, galangal, ginger, pandan leaves, salam leaves and salt, and mix together.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly.
- After 8 minutes, add the turmeric infusion, and stir constantly for 1 minute.
- Lower the heat and continue to cook, while stirring, for another 3 minutes.
- Cover and turn off the heat.
- Let stand for 15 minutes so that the rice swells.
- Using a fork, stir the rice to loosen the grains.
- Transfer the rice to the steamer basket of the casserole dish.
- Fill the casserole dish with cold water and place the steamer basket on top to continue steaming the rice.
- Every 10 minutes, stir the rice so that it cooks evenly and does not stick.
- Bake for about 20 to 30 minutes.
- Stir the rice one last time to loosen the grains.
- Serve.
Video
Sources
Wikipedia (FR) – Nasi Kuning
Wikipedia (EN) – Nasi Kuning
Google Books
Wikipedia (FR) – Kuning
Wikipedia (FR) – Tumpeng
Born in France and passionate about travel, Laurie has spent the last few years traveling in many countries. Thanks to these trips, she made beautiful cultural and culinary discoveries, which contributed to her newfound love of cooking.
Baila says
This is indeed a festive dish!