Lemper is an Indonesian snack made from seasoned sticky rice and chicken, rolled into a cylindrical shape and served wrapped in banana leaves. It can be sweet, savory or spicy, and is steamed with coconut milk. It can be frozen or refrigerated and reheated in a steamer.
Lemper is an Indonesian food that is commonly served as an appetizer or as a snack with tea. It is mostly made from seasoned sticky rice that is rolled into a cylindrical shape and served wrapped in a banana leaf, similar to an egg roll or spring roll. The roll also normally contains chicken, and in this case it is referred to as Lemper Ayam, which translates to chicken lemper.
This dish can be made with a sweet, savory or spicy filling. There are many variations, but it’s typically seasoned with a variety of spices that include garlic, coriander, and cumin. To make sweet lemper, small amounts of brown sugar can be added to the recipe for the filling. For a spicy dish, sambal, an Indonesian chili paste, is added.
When making the dish, you need to steam the rice in a mixture of coconut milk and water. The rice will absorb the coconut milk, improving its texture and flavor. While the rice is steamed, some finely chopped chicken and spices are fried together with oil in a wok. After the rice is steamed and the filling is fully cooked, the rice is rolled out into a rectangular shape and the filling is spread in the center of it. The rice and filling spread is then rolled into a cylindrical shape.
The filling is typically wrapped in banana leaves, although corn husks or aluminum foil can be substituted if banana leaves are unavailable. To facilitate the laminating process, sheets of waxed or waxed paper can be used. After the leper has been rolled up, the foil or wax paper is removed and replaced with banana leaves for presentation. The purpose of banana leaves is entirely aesthetic and for presentation. The banana leaves are peeled instead of being eaten along with it.
Another way to prepare the Indonesian specialty is to create two layers of rice by layering them on top of each other and placing the stuffing or seasoned chicken between the two layers. After pressing the two layers together, the leper can be cut into squares or rectangles. The pieces can then be wrapped in banana leaves.
If needed or desired, the homemade lemper can be frozen or stored for two days in the refrigerator. For serving after being refrigerated, the optimal method for reheating is to use a steamer. When served from frozen, leper should be thawed before steaming.
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