In Indonesia, nasi kuning is a traditional yellow rice flavored with coconut and turmeric. This festive dish, sometimes also served as a tumpeng, is most often eaten on the occasion of joyous events. What is nasi kuning? Nasi kuning is a traditional yellow rice dish in Indonesia. The rice is cooked in coconut milk and flavored with fresh turmeric, along with several other spices and herbs. It includes lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves a citrus fruit resembling lime, salam leaves a kind of Indonesian bay leaf, ginger, chopped galangal and garlic. Since salam leaves are difficult to obtain outside Indonesia, it is possible to substitute them with a combination of bay leaves and kaloupilé curry leaves. Some versions can also be flavored with cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. What is the origin of nasi kuning? Nasi kuning, or nasi kunyit, is an Indonesian dish that originates from the island of Java. Nasi kuning literally means “yellow rice” in the Indonesian language, and nasi kunyit, “turmeric rice”. In Indonesian culture, this dish is usually prepared for big events and happy festivities to be shared with relatives birthday party, wedding, birth, graduation ceremony, etc. Nasi kuning has a particular symbolism in the eyes of Indonesians. Thus, the yellow color of turmeric, associated with the grains of rice, represents a pile of gold, a symbol of wealth, prosperity and good health. Rice is a central element in the diet of Indonesians. The cult of Dewi Sri, the goddess of rice and fertility, is still widely held in Bali and Java, where locals celebrate the start of the harvest every year. Nasi tumpeng Traditionally, nasi kuning is molded into a cone shape using a large bamboo mold, then topped with a banana leaf at the tip. The rice cone is then placed in the center of a dish, with the sides arranged all around. The tip of the cone is then cut and presented to the dean of the party the oldest person. In this form, nasi kuning takes the name of nasi tumpeng. Tumpeng designates the presentation itself and is therefore not necessarily carried out with nasi kuning. There are thus several variations of tumpeng, depending on the type of occasion to be celebrated. Tumpeng nasi kuning, as it has been said, is served as a sign of good fortune in rather festive and happy events. There is also tumpeng putih, for example, which is used during certain Javanese religious ceremonies. Tumpeng robyong, on the other hand, is reserved for the party held during a woman’s 7th month of pregnancy. In these two cases, the rice is not flavored, and left natural. What is nasi kuning served with? The special thing about this is that it is always served with a wide variety of dishes. Among the most common accompaniments are sliced ​​omelet telur dadar gulung, shrimp kerupuk udang or classic chips emping, as well as vegetables for decoration cucumber and tomato. Nasi kuning can also be accompanied by various other Indonesian specialties Teri kacang fried anchovies with peanuts and chili Ayam goreng fried chicken with spices Serundeng spicy coconut condiment Sambal goreng fried tempeh and potatoes Urap mixture of vegetables and coconut shavings Perkedel potato and minced meat dumplings Sambal chili-based condiment Udang balado spicy shrimp with sambal Kering kentang garing roasted potatoes in sauce Finally, more elaborate versions may be presented with fried beef brains or paru goreng fried beef lung. Variations In Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province, nasi kuning is served with cakalang, a dish of smoked and salted pink tuna or stripe-bellied bonito. Its presentation also differs from the Javanese nasi kuning. Instead of being molded and placed in the center of a plate, it is wrapped in a sugarcane leaf. Yellow rice is also consumed in several other Southeast Asian countries. In Sri Lanka it is called kaha buth. Kaha buth is cooked with ghee and contains onions, curry leaves, and pepper. In the Philippines, and especially on the island of Mindanao, the Marina tribe also prepares a version of turmeric rice simply called kuning. Unlike Indonesian yellow rice, kuning does not contain coconut milk. Nasi kuning “yellow rice” in Indonesian, also called nasi kunyit “turmeric rice”, is an Indonesian dish of rice cooked with coconut milk and turmeric. Prep Time45 minutes Cook Time45 minutes Resting Time30 minutes Total Time1 hour 30 minutes Course Side DishCuisine dairy free, gluten free, Indonesian, Vegan, Vegetarian Servings 5 people Calories 269kcal 1¼ cup jasmine rice , or other fragrant rice2 pandan leaves , tied5 inch piece of fresh turmeric , peeled and chopped6 tablespoons boiling water4 stems fresh lemongrass3 kaffir lime leaves2 tablespoons galangal , peeled and grated1½ inch piece of ginger , peeled and chopped5 salam leaves Indonesian bay1 cup coconut milk3 cloves garlic , crushed1 tablespoon coarse salt In a bowl, combine the chopped fresh turmeric and the 6 tablespoons of boiling water and let steep for 15 minutes. Set the rice until the water runs clear, then pour into a casserole dish that can be fitted with a steamer basket, which will be used later in the the coconut water to cover the rice, about 1 inch 2 cm above the the kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, galangal, ginger, pandan leaves, salam leaves and salt, and mix over medium heat, stirring 8 minutes, add the turmeric infusion, and stir constantly for 1 the heat and continue to cook, while stirring, for another 3 and turn off the stand for 15 minutes so that the rice a fork, stir the rice to loosen the the rice to the steamer basket of the casserole the casserole dish with cold water and place the steamer basket on top to continue steaming the 10 minutes, stir the rice so that it cooks evenly and does not for about 20 to 30 the rice one last time to loosen the Nutrition Facts Nasi Kuning Amount Per Serving Calories 269 Calories from Fat 90 % Daily Value* Fat 10g15%Saturated Fat 9g56%Sodium 1405mg61%Potassium 201mg6%Carbohydrates 41g14%Fiber 1g4%Sugar 1g1%Protein 4g8% Vitamin A 7IU0%Vitamin C 1mg1%Calcium 30mg3%Iron 2mg11% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Sources Wikipedia FR – Nasi Kuning Wikipedia EN – Nasi Kuning Google Books Wikipedia FR – Kuning Wikipedia FR – Tumpeng Born in France and passionate about travel, Laurie has spent the last few years traveling in many countries. Thanks to these trips, she made beautiful cultural and culinary discoveries, which contributed to her newfound love of cooking.