Tag: rice

FUSION NASI KEBULI

main meal
Fusion Nasi kebuli

Fusion Nasi Kebuli is Indonesia’s unique take on Arabic Pilaf, reflecting the strong influence of the Arab descent community in Indonesia. Nasi Kebuli, a beloved dish, bears a striking resemblance to our own pulavs and the renowned Mandi Rice from Saudi Arabia. Traditionally, it involves cooking fragrant rice in a flavorful Yakni, whether it’s a chicken or mutton variant. However, the Sindhi community in Indonesia has introduced a delightful twist to Nasi Kebuli. They serve fragrant rice alongside a spicy, rich broth and a fiery sambal, drawing inspiration from the Hadhrami community’s culinary traditions, where broth is served on the side. It’s an intriguing fusion of flavors, and even though it might deviate from the traditional Nasi Kebuli, we’ve come to know and love it by this name over the years. Let’s just call it “Fusion Nasi Kebuli” and savor its delicious blend of influences.

**Ingredients:**
– 4 whole chicken legs with bone
– 2 liters of water
– 1 cinnamon stick
– 1 star anise
– 1 knotted Pandan leaf
– 4 cloves
– 4 bashed cardamom pods
– 1 stalk of bashed lemongrass (only the bottom hard stalk)
– 2 cups of basmati rice
– 2-3 tablespoons of ghee
– 1 sliced onion
– 2 bay leaves
– 1 cinnamon stick
– 1 star anise
– Salt to taste
– 2 teaspoons of garam masala
– 6 fresh red chilies
– 1-inch piece of fresh turmeric
– 1-inch piece of ginger
– 1 tablespoon of coriander powder
– 1/2 teaspoon of fennel seeds
– 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds
– 2 cardamom pods
– 1/2 teaspoon of grated nutmeg
– 2 tablespoons of desiccated coconut
– 2-3 tablespoons of oil
– 1 heaped tablespoon of thinly sliced garlic
– 1 cup of coconut milk
– 1 cup of shredded cabbage
– Bird eye chilies (optional)
– Potato crisps
– Fried cashews
– Raisins
– Lime for garnish

**Instructions:**
1. In a large pot, boil the chicken legs in 2 liters of water along with the cinnamon stick, star anise, knotted Pandan leaf, cloves, bashed cardamom, and bashed lemongrass. Simmer until the chicken is tender.

2. Remove the chicken and strain the broth (Yakni). Set the broth aside.

3. Wash and rinse 2 cups of basmati rice.

4. In a separate pot, heat 2-3 tablespoons of ghee. Add the sliced onion and sauté until pale golden.

5. Add bay leaves, a cinnamon stick, and a star anise to the sautéed onion.

6. Use some of the Yakni to cook the rice. Season the rice with salt and 2 teaspoons of garam masala. Keep the rice warm.

7. To make the broth, grind the following ingredients into a fine paste: fresh red chilies, fresh turmeric, ginger, coriander powder, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom pods, grated nutmeg, and desiccated coconut.

8. Heat a separate pot and add 2-3 tablespoons of oil. Add the thinly sliced garlic and sauté until pale gold.

9. Sauté the paste in the oil until the oil releases.

10. Add about 4 cups of the Yakni broth to the sautéed paste. Once it boils, add 1 cup of coconut milk. Keep stirring.

11. Finally, add the shredded chicken and about 1 cup of shredded cabbage. You can also add few whole bird eye chilies at this point if desired. Simmer for 10 minutes.

12. To assemble, put some rice in a bowl, top it with the chicken broth. Add potato crisps, fried cashews, and raisins.

13. Garnish with a squirt of lime.

Enjoy your meal!

NASI KUNING JAWA

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NASI KUNING JAWA

Nasi kuning(or yellow rice) comes from the regions of jawa. Traditionally made during festivals and especially birthdays.
In case it is made for a birthday, rice cooked with turmeric, herbs and coconut milk will be packed into a cone shaped mould and then inverted onto a base of rice in the form of a circle . The rice is then surrounded by various other food items, such as tempe( fermented soya cake), chicken, fish, fresh basil and cucumber. The person whose birthday it is slices off the top of the cone onto a plate without the rice disintegrating.. I  have done a miniature nasi kunning plate to show you all.

Normally at home, we just put the  rice, sprinkle some fried peanuts and fried onions, and surround with tempe, chicken in red sauce or tofu potato in red sauce, and sayur acar.( pronounced achaar) Fresh sweet basil is a must along with cucumber slices. Best eaten with hand.
We can call this an Indonesian thali. Recipe is slightly long, but fairly easy to make. Do try it and enjoy.

YELLOW RICE
Soak 2 cups of jasmine rice for 30 mins.
Drain.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add 1 stick cinnamon, 2 fresh bay leaves, 4 kaffir lime leaves, 1 stalk of lemon grass( only bottom white part, bashed)
.
#( incase you don’t gave fresh herbs, use star anise, tej pata and cinnamon)

Saute for a few mins and add drained rice.
Add 100 ml thick coconut milk
And  100ml of water
Mix well, add 2 tbsps grated fresh turmeric and salt to taste.
When liquid dries up, transfer rice to a steamer and steam for 15 to 20 mins. Done. Keep warm.

AYAM MERAH( RED CHICKEN)
300 gms of boneless chicken..cubed
2 tomatoes .. cut into quarters
12 shallots
4 garlic pods..do not cut
4 garlic pods cut fine.
4 red chillies.
2 kaffir lime leaves
Lime juice
Salt and sugar to taste.

Take a pan, add chicken, tomatoes, whole shallots, whole garlic, and red chillies. Add 1/4 cup of water, cover and cook till everything is soft.
Remove chicken and keep aside.
Coarsely grind the cooked tomatoes, onions, garlic and red chillies.

Heat 2 tbsps of oil
Add chopped garlic and 2 kaffir lime leaves. Saute for few mins
Add the red paste and cook till oil seperates.
Add the chicken back, season with salt and a little sugar.
Lastly add  a tbsp  of lime juice.
Keep aside.

TEMPE ORIK
300 gms tempe, cut into small batons
( can use potato or paneer)
Deep fry and keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan
Add 6 sliced garlic pods( slice, do not chop)
10 sliced shallots
1 inch bashed ginger
2 green chillies, cut at a slant
2 red chillies cut at a slant
Saute for few mins, till onions turn golden brown.
Add the fried tempe( or potato or paneer)
Stir fry
Add 2 tbsp of kecap manis( or honey)
1 tbsp tamarind paste.
Salt to taste
Stir quickly and shut flame.
Keep aside.

SAYUR ACAR( VEGETABLE ACHAR)
1 carrot.
5 french beans
1 cucumber, unpeeled and seeds removed
( cut all 3 above mentioned vegetables into medium batons)
10 shallots cut into 2

Grind together with little water
3 roasted candlenuts or 4 cashews
1 inch pc  fresh turmeric
1 inch ginger
4 garlic pods
4 shallots.

Heat oil in a pan, add paste and saute well.
Add carrots, french beans, shallots, and cucumber…saute well, add 1/4 cup water and cook till vegs are done,and no water remains. Vegs should retain  a bite. Shut fire and add salt, 1 tsp sugar, and 1 tbsp of vinegar.  mix well.
Done. Keep aside..

OTHER INGREDIENTS
sliced cucumbers
Thai basil leaves
Dried or roasted peanuts
Fried onions.

Assembling
Take a plater, line with a  banana leaf.
Pile rice in the center.
Surround with tempe orik, cucumber slices, red chicken,  sayur acar, basil leaves, sprinkle peanuts and fried onions . And serve.
Can serve red chillie sambal too with some fryums.

MANSAF PILAF RICE..VEGETARIAN VERSION.

main meal

Mansaf pilaf rice..Vegetarian Version

This pilaf comes from the middle eastern region of Jordan. Also considered their national dish. Normally cooked in JAMEED( yogurt sauce) with minimum usage of spices.
This is a version I came across on the net long back( would like to credit the blogger, but sadly unable to find it, glad I had jotted down the recipe though)
,I have adapted a bit to our liking. The taste is not very far from Indian cooking.
Served with a garlicky yogurt sauce. Its a comfort food.
The non vegetarian version uses lamb  mostly.
My version of mansaf pulav tweaked to a slightly Indian taste..😊

2 cups of Basmati Rice..washed and soaked for an hour.

Cook the rice as usual adding

1 stick of cinnamon
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 cinnamon powder
2 tsps salt.

THE VEGETABLE LAYER
Heat 2bsps oil
Add..
2 finely chopped onions.. saute till pale gold.
Add puree of 2 tomatoes( blanched)
Add 1/4 cup of soya granules( boil, and saute in  little oil)
Add one chopped green paprika.
Add 1 brinjal cut into small cubes
( soak in slightly salted water, squeeze and saute lightly in little oil)
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
Mix everything well.. add little water and cook till  a thick gravy is left
1 tsp black pepper powder or red chilli powder.
Add 2 tsps of BAHARAT SPICE( recipe given below)
Salt to taste.
When done, keep aside.

GARLIC LABAN MOUTBOUK

Whisk 1 cup of thick yogurt with
1 tsp cornflour
1 tsp besan.
( adding these will prevent curdling)

Heat 2 tsps oil and add 1 heaped tbsp of finely chopped garlic.
Saute till pale golden
Add whisked yogurt
And heat on low till you see bubbles appearing.
Shut the flame and season with salt.

To assemble..
Heap rice on a platter and top with the vegetables, drizzle some laban moutbouk on the top and garnish with roasted almonds, pumkin and sunflower seeds. And sprinkle some of the Baharat powder on top.

To make Baharat spice

Mix 1/2 tsp each

Cinnamon powder
Cumin powder
Corriander powder
Clove powder
Nutmeg powder
Black pepper powder
Ginger powder..

Nasi Hainan aka Chicken Rice

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Nasi Hainan aka Chicken rice
(Home made  Modified version)
Mostly everyone is familiar with hainan chicken rice, more so those who travel to Singapore have surely eaten this. Singapore is famous for its Chicken Rice.

On my first visit to Singapore in the early 80’s , it was one of the dishes we had had at a foodcourt.😊
Smooth tender chicken, seasoned rice, a tasty broth to go with it, and the tasty    sauces  with it, make for a balanced flavourful dish.
Here in Jakarta also its quite popular with a slight change in recipes.
But the actual original version calls for a long procedure of making the chicken.
A whole chicken along with the skin is poached in boiling water, then taken out after a while and put into a big pot full of cold water and ice.  This is repeated quote a few times. This shock treatment is what results in a totally tender and smooth chicken.  At home long ago we used to make this, but lately since few years I prefer the modified version. As no one wants the chicken with the skin on. We normally make it out of boneless breast  fillet or boneless thigh fillet.
Easier and faster. For the vegetarian version I used plant based veg chicken fillet.  Do try it . The recipe is a little long but totally worth the trouble.

1st step.
400 gms of boneless chicken
( or you can take  half of a full chicken, with bones and skin)
Rub 2 tsps of salt and 2 tsps of sugar into the chicken and add about 1/4th cup of water.
Let the chicken soak in this brine solution for a minimum of 4 hours.
Wash and Soak 2 cups of jasmine rice.

Spring onion oil
In a bowl add
5 stalks of chopped spring onion
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped.
1 inch piece of ginger.. grated.
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp oyster sauce( I used the vegetarian version)
1 tsp sugar ,  1 tsp salt and 1 tsp white pepper.

To this bowl add 80 ml of hot oil, and mix. Keep aside.

Garlic oil
Heat 100ml of oil in a pan and add
12 cloves of finely chopped garlic
2 inches of grated ginger.

Saute till golden brown.
Keep aside.

Chillie sauce.
Blend together
8 curly red chillies
8 birds eye chillies
6 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp salt
100ml water.

Put this blended paste in a pan and cook for 5 mins. Add 1.5 tbsp of vinegar.
Keep aside.

All 3 sauces done. Onto the rice, chicken and soup.
Pls use either version.
Put drained rice in the rice cooker
Add the following.
1 tbsp normal oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce.
2 tsps salt
1 tsp pepper
2 stalks of  spring onion cut into big pieces.
Now add water according to the rice cooker instructions( normally  2 fingers above rice)
Stir well and place the chicken on the rice.
Cover and cook.  Remove chicken, chop and keep aside.

2nd way using steamer. ( I used this method)
Put drained rice in a pan
Add the following.
1 tbsp normal oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce.
2 tsps salt
1 tsp pepper
2 stalks of  spring onion cut into big pieces.
Now add  about 1 cup of water .
Stir well and cook till no water is left.
Transfer to steamer. And cook till done.

Next I just put the chicken on a steel plate and steam for about 12..15 mins.
Chicken will let out water, reserve the water for adding to soup.
Chop the chicken and keep aside.
Finally the soup.
If you have good chicken stock pls do use it.
In a pan, add 1.5 liters of water.
Add
1 pc bashed ginger
4 cloves garlic bashed
150 gms of sliced cabbage.
Chopped cubed  spring onions.
Salt, pepper, sugar and stock cube.
Boil for about 15 mins.
Test  the seasoning and ready to serve.

I also sauted some pok choi in garlic to serve with the rice.