Indonesian Coconut Rice Recipes

NASI LIWET (INDONESIAN SPICED COCONUT RICE)

Steps:

• Blend opor ayam paste and cook opor ayam. In a blender, add 5 shallots, 3 garlic cloves, 4 candlenuts, 1 tsp toasted coriander seeds, and a pinch of salt then blend into a smooth paste. Set aside.
• Cook chicken. In a large pot, add chicken then pour in enough water to cover the chicken Bring to a boil for 15 minutes, occasionally skimming off the fat (scum) with a ladle as it floats to the surface Remove from heat When cooled, remove the chicken, and pour away ¾ of the water.
• Cook opor ayam paste-cook paste and add chicken.Cook opor ayam paste-cook paste and add chickenIn the same large pot, add in the opor ayam paste together with 1 pc bruised galangal, bay leavesand 1 stalk lemongrass tocook chicken.Pourin 500 ml coconut milk and then let it simmer for about 10 minutes.Add 1 tbsp sliced palm sugar, and cook to reduce for 5 more minutes.Season to taste, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside.
• Prepare choko, blend into choko sambal paste. Peel or cut the skin off the choko and then julienne.Rub a generous amount of salt on the julienned pieces Leave to marinate for 5 minutes, then rinse under running water until excess salt is gone Drain and set asideRubbing salt into the choko gets rid of the bitterness In a blender, add 7 red chilies, 8 shallots, 3 garlic cloves, drained hebi and a pinch of salt Blend into a smooth paste.
• Fry choko sambal paste. In a pan on medium heat, add paste and fry for 2 minutes. Add smashed galangal, 1 dried bay leaf, 1½ tbsp sliced coconut palm sugar, long beans, julienned choko and salt to taste, then continue to fry until fragrant.
• Make Egg Omelette. In a blender, add 3 shallots, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp sliced coconut palm sugar then blend into a smooth paste. This will be the tim telur paste. In a pan,add 200ml coconut milk and stir in tim telur paste, bring to boil and letitcool. Whisk 2 eggs and pour tim telur batter into egg, steam for 20 minutes (or until firm). In the same large pot, add in the opor ayam paste together with 1 pc bruised galangal, 1 dried bay leaf and 1 stalk lemongrass to cook chicken.
• Cook Coconut Rice. Pour 1 L coconut milk into a separate pot and bring it to a boil on medium heat. Once boiling, add in rice along with 2 dried bay leaves, 1 stalk lemongrass and a pinch of salt. Stir until the coconut milk starts to thicken and reduce. This takes about 15 minutes. Ensure that the rice doesn't stick or burn on the bottom. If the coconut milk reduces too much and it starts to become dry, just add a little more as needed. Set aside for another 10 to 15 minutes, then fork through to make it fluffy.

INDONESIAN COCONUT RICE WITH CHICKEN AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• In a large deep frying pan or Dutch oven, heat the cooking oil over moderately high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with 1/2 tsp of the salt and 1/4 tsp of the pepper. Put the chicken in the pan and brown well on both sides, about 8 minutes in all. Remove. Pour off all but 1 T of the fat. Reduce the heat to moderately low.
• Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the coriander, cumin, rice, and the remaining salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
• Stir in the coconut milk and the water. Add the chicken and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring the rice two or three times, until the rice and chicken are almost donw, about 20 minutes.
• Stir in the zucchini, cover, and cook until done, about 7 minutes longer. Stir the lemon juice and cilantro into the rice.

LEMONGRASS-SCENTED COCONUT RICE

Steps:

• 1. Place the rice in a 1-1/2- or 2-quart saucepan. Fill the pot halfway with cold water. If any rice hulls or small twigs float to the surface, scoop them aside with your hand and discard them. Gently swirl your fingers through the rice until the water becomes cloudy with the rice's surface starch, about 20 seconds. Be careful not to massage the rice aggressively-you don't want to crack or break the grains. Allow the rice to settle for a few seconds. Tilt the pot over a sink and drain out all the water, cupping the rice with your hand to prevent it from spilling out of the pot. Repeat this process with three more changes of water. The water after the first 2 rinses will be quite cloudy; by the fourth rinse, it will be much less so. The water need not run completely clear by the final rinse-slightly cloudy is fine. Leave the rinsed rice in the pot.
• 2. To the rinsed rice, add the tied lemongrass, the cooking water, the coconut milk, the salt, and the daun salam leaves (if using). Stir well to combine, making sure that the lemongrass stalks and daun salam leaves are submerged in as much of the rice as possible.
• 3. Place the pot over high heat and, stirring constantly with a large spoon to prevent the rice at the bottom of the pot from scorching or burning, bring the liquid to a rolling, noisy boil. Allow the rice to boil vigorously for fifteen seconds, continuing to stir constantly. (It's essential that you stir constantly, otherwise the fats and proteins in the coconut milk will cause the rice at the bottom of the pot to become gummy and stick together, which will ultimately lead to the final dish having a scorched or burned bottom layer.) Immediately reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting and cover the pot tightly with the lid. Continue cooking for 15 minutes. Don't be tempted to lift or remove the lid during this time-you'll lose essential cooking steam if you do.
• 4. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the rice to continue to steam, covered, away from the heat for an additional 10 minutes.
• 5. Open the pot and discard the lemongrass and daun salam leaves. Fold the rice over gently with a spoon, distributing the aromatic flavors which may be concentrated in pockets in the rice. Transfer the rice to a deep serving bowl, fluffing it gently with a fork and lifting it into a high, peaked mound. Serve hot or warm. (If serving the rice warm, keep it covered with aluminum foil until then.)

INDONESIAN COCONUT RICE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the onion and garlic, and cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the scallions, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, mustard, red pepper flakes, cloves, and sugar, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
• Add the rice and stir to mix evenly. Gently stir in the coconut. Season to taste with salt and pepper and heat until hot.
• Cover, and set aside for 5 minutes before serving. Top with peanuts and/or toasted coconut.