Nasi uduk is a popular Indonesian dish made with spice-infused steamed rice and served with a variety of side dishes, including roasted coconut flakes, eggs, tempeh, and more. It is similar to Malaysia’s national dish, nasi lemak, and is often sold by roadside vendors.
Nasi uduk is a type of spice-infused steamed rice that is very popular in Indonesian cuisine. The name literally translates as “mixed rice” because it is served with many different types of side dishes. It has its origins in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, and is widely eaten across the country mostly for breakfast. Many roadside vendors serve nasi uduk exclusively, sometimes in a paper cone, with a surprising range of accompaniments, all for a little pocket money. It is made differently in various areas and is considered to be quite similar to nasi lemak, the national dish of Malaysia.
The most common ingredients are rice, lemon grass, bay leaves and coconut milk. The rice is washed, drained and steamed until partially cooked. The coconut milk is boiled with the bay leaves and salt and then poured into the rice until covered. The mixture is stirred over low heat until the coconut milk is fully absorbed and the rice is further steamed to completion.
While this all sounds simple, cooking nasi uduk can be quite laborious. It requires a large number of side dishes. Some people serve it with leftover dishes from the previous day when cooking it at home to avoid spending huge amounts of time preparing each side dish from scratch.
Authentic nasi uduk comes with a delicious assortment of side dishes, such as roasted coconut flakes called serundeng, eggs boiled, fried or in the form of omelettes, and deep-fried tempeh or soy cakes. Fried chicken, shrimp and vegetable fritters, fried tofu and vermicelli are also served with this fragrant rice. Some other side dishes include bawang goreng or fried shallots, dried anchovies and prawn skewers. Garnished with daun kemangi, an aromatic parsley, sliced cucumber or peanuts, this dish is a feast for the eyes and senses thanks to the additional side dishes.
Some restaurants like to serve the rice in a banana leaf and with various types of sambal, such as sambal badjak, a sweet chili paste, for extra spiciness and sambal kacang, which contains peanuts. Emping crackers, prawn crackers, and sour soup are other items that can come with nasi uduk. While it is popularly eaten for breakfast, it can also be found during the day served by roadside vendors who sell the dish to schoolchildren at noon or office goers late in the evening. The dish also has a few variations, the most popular being nasi uduk slipi, which is infused with a little cinnamon.
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