Nasi Uduk is a traditional Indonesian Coconut Rice recipe associated with the island of Java.
Rice is cooked in riche and creamy coconut milk instead of water, then simmered with aromatics like spices and herbs, that impart a unique flavour to the dish.
Our Nasi Uduk recipe is vegetarian and vegan friendly, served garnished with crispy fried shallots and coconut chips.
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What Is Nasi Uduk?
Nasi Uduk is an authentic Indonesian rice dish cooked in coconut milk and spices, which is especially popular in Betawi cuisine.
Betawi food is rich and diverse, in part because the Betawi people were composed of different immigrant groups that came from various places in the Indonesian archipelago, as well as Chinese, Indian, Arab, and European traders that were attracted to the port city of Batavia (modern day Jakarta) many centuries ago.
The term uduk derives from the term that means “difficult” or “struggle”, which suggests that this rice dish was originally consumed by farmers and labourers. Depending on the dialect used, it can be referred to as uduk or wuduk in Javanese.
Nasi Uduk recipes can vary based on family traditions and regional preferences. The dish is typically made by cooking rice soaked in coconut milk instead of water, along with spices like clove, cinnamon sticks, cassia bark, lime leaf and lemongrass to add aroma. Sometimes knotted pandan leaves are thrown into the rice while cooking to give it more fragrance.
The coconut milk becomes infused with the spices and herbs, imparting an oily, rich taste to the rice. Fried shallots and coconut chips are often sprinkled on top of the rice before serving.
Depending on the occasion, Nasi Uduk can be served “berkat style” in a woven bamboo box, wrapped in teak wood or banana leaves, or served as a large cone on a tampah, a rounded bamboo platter.
If you’re making this Indonesian Coconut Rice recipe at home you serve it out of a large shallow bowl.
Travel to Indonesia by Making Nasi Uduk at Home
I love traveling to Asia.
My first visit on the continent had me living in South Korea for a year as a teacher and it’s where I was first introduced to fermented vegetables like kimchi.
After my contract ended in Seoul I travelled throughout Asia for 6 months, visiting the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, The Maldives, India and Malaysia.
In 2008 I spent 2 months backpacking through Indonesia, adventuring through Yogyakarta, Borobodur, Gunung Bromo, Gili Trawangan, and Bali. I fell so head over heels in love with Bali that years later I returned as a food and travel journalist to write the ultimate Bali Honeymoon Guide.
I dined at some of Indonesia’s best restaurants while exploring Bali’s Best Hotels & Resorts and fancy Bali Cocktail Bars. I was on the hunt to sample the must-try tastes of Bali, such as Babi Guling, Nasi Goreng, Mie Goreng, Lawar, Satay, and Nasi Uduk.
I became a fan of Nasi Uduk on my first visit to Indonesia as it was often offered as a strachy side dish. With options like simple steamed rice, stir fried noodles and fried rice, the more flavourful Nasi Uduk was always my go-to selection at dinner.
The decadent coconut flavour paired with aromatics and crunchy fried shallots is the perfect accompaniment to steamed fish, barbecued meats or grilled tempeh.
If you’ve traveled to Indonesia and fallen in love with Nasi Uduk it’s easy to recreate the dish at home by making our Indonesian Coconut Rice recipe!
Where To Eat Traditional Indonesian Coconut Rice
If you live in a large city in Canada or America you’ll likely have access to local Southeast Asian restaurants that serves their own Nasi Uduk recipe.
Haven’t traveled to Indonesia before? It may be helpful to first sample Coconut Rice at a local Indonesian or Malaysian restaurant to better understand how the dish is served. You can determine the ideal coconut milk to rice ratio, best aromatics to flavour the dish and other regional recipes to serve at the table.
In Toronto, popular Indonesian and Malaysian restaurants that may serve a traditional Nasi Uduk recipe include Borrel Restaurant, Little Sister, Soos, Gourmet Malaysia, Restoran Malaysia and NaiNai.
My Family Loves Indonesian Coconut Rice
I love cooking unique regional recipes inspired by my travels for friends and family.
I made this Indonesian Coconut Rice on a hot summer day. My family has never traveled to Indonesia before so after visiting Java and Bali I was keen to share my love for the dish by hosting an al fresco barbecue dinner.
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While preparing the rice over the stove I grilled chicken satay skewers on our backyard barbecue, a perfect pairing for Nasi Uduk.
I knew my parents would enjoy Nasi Uduk because they love creamy coconut milk, crispy fried shallots and eating rice as a side dish with grilled meats and seafood.
They did think it was a bit odd that the rice was filled with aromatics like cinnamon sticks, bruised lemongrass stalks and lime leaf, but once they took their first bite their eyes bulged with glee.
The flavourful Indonesian rice is a must-try for coconut lovers and is the perfect side dish to serve when vegetarian or vegan friends are coming to dinner.
Nasi Uduk Recipe Health Benefits
Our Indonesian Coconut Rice recipe is packed full of healthy ingredients!
Nearly 50% of the people in the world get over 50% of their daily calories from rice. If eating brown rice featuring nutritious bran you’ll enjoy health benefits like cancer risk reduction and diabetes control.
Coconut is rich in fibre and may also offer a number of benefits including improved heart healthy and digestion. It is high in calories and sautéed fat so be sure to eat in moderation.
Shallots are a humble vegetable packed with vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Regular consumption of onions can help boost digestive health and reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
Rich in energy-boosting manganese, cinnamon is also antibacterial and may protect your brain against Alzheimer’s disease.
Lemongrass is a rich source of antioxidants. It’s an effective antibacterial and anti-fungal agent.
Ginger contains at least 14 phytochemicals, many of which have impressive antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It also has a good source of copper, which supports your bones, blood and nervous system.
Nutmeg is said to relieve pain, soothe indigestion, strengthen cognitive function, detoxify the body, boost skin health, reduce insomnia, increase immune system function and improve blood circulation.
A useful source of copper, calcium, manganese, and phosphorus, sesame seeds help support circulatory, digestive and skeletal health.
Nasi Uduk Recipe Cooking Tips
This healthy Indonesian Coconut Rice recipe is quick and easy to make at home. We’ve included a few tips and tricks to get you started:
- We suggest using Thai-style Jasmine rice but you can use any long grain rice to make Nasi Uduk, such as basmati.
- Add the aromatics (cinnamon stick, bay leaf, lemongrass stalk, ginger, nutmeg, lime leaves) whole to impart as much flavour as you can into the liquid.
- We like to serve the dish with the aromatics still in the rice. The eye-appeal wows guests and allows them to see what ingredients have flavoured the rice. You can place a small bowl on the table to discard these items.
- We like to garnish the dish with fried shallots but you can substitute with fried garlic if you prefer.
- We’ve used coconut chips as a garnish in this recipe but you can sprinkle with toasted coconut as an alternative.
What To Serve with Indonesian Coconut Rice
Indonesian Coconut Rice is our favourite Javanese side dish to serve with barbecued meats, steamed seafood, and grilled tempeh. It also tastes great with creamy coconut curries.
For certain rituals or ceremonies, Nasi Uduk is usually served with traditional Javanese dishes like kering tempe, urap, and sambel goreng. Affordable protein sources, such as, a hard boiled egg, fried tempeh, or fried tofu, can also be included in the package.
If you’re hosting a Indonesia, Malay or Singaporean inspired dinner party you may like to serve our Nasi Uduk recipe with these popular regional dishes:
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- Perkedel Jagung Crispy Indonesian Corn Fritters
- Asinan Sayur Indonesian Coleslaw Cabbage Salad
- Acar Timun Indonesian Cucumber Pickles
- Penang Prawn Noodle Soup Hokkien Mee
- Vegetarian Roti Canai Curry
- Seafood Laksa Singaporean Shrimp & Fish Soup
- Singaporean Bak Chor Mee Minced Pork Noodle Soup
- Vegan Citrus “Rojak” Singapore Salad
Storing Nasi Uduk
If you have leftover rice store it in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
It’s best to reheat the rice in a microwave or over a bamboo steamer. We do not recommend freezing and reheating as the rice will get mushy.
You May Also Enjoy These Rice Recipes…
- Kitchri Indian Moong Dal Basmati
- Prasorizo Vegetarian Greek Leek Rice
- Chicken Pork & Shrimp Mexican Paella
- Riz a Djej Lebanese Rice with Chicken
- Cheesy Vegetarian Cabbage with Rice
- Chao Ga Vietnamese Rice Porridge Breakfast
- Lebanese Beef Hashweh Rice
- Peruvian Quinoa Chaufa
- Mdardara Lebanese Caramelized Onion Lentil Rice
- Vegan Gluten Free Thai Coconut Mango Glutinous Rice Balls
- Adas Polo Persian Lentil Rice
- Spicy Thai Basil Fried Rice
- Curry Leaf Rice with Cashews
- Sartu Di Riso Italian Baked Risotto
How To Make Authentic Nasi Uduk Indonesian Coconut Rice
Indonesian Nasi Uduk Coconut Rice
Ingredients
- 240 g Jasmine Rice
- 1 tbsp Coconut Oil
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
Cooking Liquid
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 1/8 tsp Ground Cloves
- 350 ml Coconut Milk
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 Lemongrass Stalk tied into a knot
- 15 g Ginger peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 2 Lime Leaves
Garnish
- Shallot Oil or Sesame Oil optional
- 1/4 cup Fried Shallots
- 2 tbsp Coconut Chips
Instructions
- For the cooking liquid, place the cinnamon stick and cloves in a dry, deep saucepan over medium heat and toast for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the coconut milk, 100ml water and the bay leaf, lemongrass, ginger, nutmeg, and lime leaves. Bring to a simmer, then remove the pan from the heat and leave aromatics to infuse for 30 minutes.
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Add the rice to the simmered coconut milk along with salt.
- Place the pan over medium heat and bring to a gentle boil, stirring once so the rice doesn't stick to the base of the pan. Turn the heat down to low, cover with a lid. Simmer for 15 minutes, then remove from the heat. Leave for 10 minutes, covered, to finish off the cooking.
- When ready to serve, remove the lid from the pot then discard the lemongrass, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and lime leaf. Fluff the grains of the rice with a fork.
- To serve, stir a drizzle of shallot oil or sesame oil through the rice and stir. Top with a handful of fried shallots and coconut chips.
Nutrition
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