About this recipe

Nasi Uduk is Betawi coconut rice steamed with lemongrass, pandan, and bay leaf until fragrant and lightly savory—the base of a complete breakfast plate.

Do not flood the rice with coconut milk. Too much liquid makes it heavy and mushy instead of fluffy and separate.

Serve with fried chicken, eggs, sambal, and peanuts for the classic warung-style spread.

Prep & cook time

Prep15 minutes
Cook30 minutes
Total45 minutes
Servings5 servings
LevelEasy

Tools you need

Rice steamer or rice cooker
Bowl
Measuring cup

Ingredients

500 g jasmine or long-grain rice
400–450 ml thin coconut milk
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
2 pandan leaves, knotted
2 bay leaves

Directions

Rinse the rice until the water runs clearer. Drain.
Steam the rice until half-cooked, about 15 minutes, or start it in a rice cooker with slightly less liquid than usual.
Warm coconut milk with salt, lemongrass, pandan, and bay leaves. Do not boil hard.
Pour the seasoned coconut milk over the half-cooked rice and stir gently. Let it absorb 10 minutes.
Steam again until fully cooked and fluffy, 10–15 minutes.
Fluff, discard leaves, and serve with side dishes.

Kitchen tips

If using a rice cooker, mix coconut milk and aromatics in from the start with care not to overfill.
Rest the rice 5 minutes after cooking for better texture.
Day-old nasi uduk fries beautifully as nasi goreng.
Salt is essential—unsalted coconut rice tastes flat.

Serve with

Ayam goreng
Eggs
Sambal kacang
Fried peanuts
Tempeh

How to store

Keeps 1 day at cool room temperature for same-day meals, or refrigerate 2 days. Re-steam to refresh.

Common mistakes

Too much coconut milk, making gummy rice.
Boiling pandan and coconut milk until the aroma turns dull.
Skipping salt.