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1
Simmer the Coconut Milk With Aromatics
5 Mins • Hands On
Medium heat, about 90°C (195°F) — do not boil hard
Put the coconut milk, water, salt, lemongrass, galangal, pandan and bay leaves in a saucepan. Warm gently, stirring, until the salt dissolves and the milk smells fragrant — about 5 minutes. Do not let it boil hard or the milk can split.
If the milk does split a little, a quick whisk brings it back together at this stage.
Done when: Milk is hot, fragrant, and the salt has dissolved.
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2
Add the Rice and Absorb the Milk
12 Mins • Hands On
Medium-low heat, gentle simmer about 95°C (203°F)
Add the rinsed rice to the pan and stir once so every grain is coated. Cook uncovered, stirring gently every couple of minutes, until the coconut milk is almost fully absorbed and the surface looks pitted with small holes — about 10–12 minutes.
Stir gently and only now and then; constant stirring breaks the grains.
Done when: Milk is absorbed, rice is plump and half-cooked, and the pan is nearly dry.
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3
Steam Until Tender and Fragrant
20 Mins • Hands Off
Low heat, steam about 100°C (212°F)
Cover the pan tightly with a lid (wrap the lid in a tea towel if it is loose), turn the heat to the lowest setting, and steam for 20 minutes without lifting the lid. Then take it off the heat and rest, still covered, for 10 minutes.
Lifting the lid lets the steam out and the top layer stays hard — leave it alone.
Done when: Rice is tender all the way through, separate-grained, and smells of pandan and coconut.
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4
Fry the Tempeh and Crackers
8 Mins • Hands On
Hot oil, about 180°C (350°F)
While the rice steams, heat oil in a small pan and fry the tempeh slices until golden and crisp on both sides, about 3–4 minutes. Lift out and drain. In the same hot oil, fry the prawn crackers a few at a time — they puff in seconds — and drain on paper.
Crackers puff fast and burn faster; have the plate ready before they go in.
Done when: Tempeh is golden and crisp; crackers are fully puffed with no hard centre.
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5
Fluff, Plate and Serve
5 Mins • Hands On
Serving temperature, rice about 65°C (150°F)
Remove the lemongrass, pandan, galangal and bay leaves from the rice. Fluff gently with a fork, then mound the rice on plates or banana leaf. Top with fried shallots and arrange the egg, fried tempeh, cucumber, crackers and a spoonful of sambal around it.
Fluff with a fork, not a spoon — a spoon mashes the grains.
Done when: Rice is fluffy and separate, aromatics removed, and the plate has a little of everything.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the nasi uduk warm, straight from the pot, with the side dishes arranged around the rice so each person can take what they like.
Indonesia
35m
