 A basic nasi uduk from a shop in the Netherlands | |
| Course | Main course |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Indonesia |
| Region or state | Jakarta, Java |
| Serving temperature | Hot or room temperature |
| Main ingredients | Rice cooked in coconut milk and spices with side dishes |
Nasi uduk (Indonesian : nasi uduk) is an Indonesian-style steamed rice cooked in coconut milk dish, especially popular in Betawi cuisine. [1] [2]
The Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia describes nasi uduk as rice cooked with coconut milk and seasoned with spices. [3]
According to the book Kuliner Betawi Selaksa Rasa & Cerita (2016) written by Akademi Kuliner Indonesia, the term uduk etymology derived from the term that means "difficult" or "struggle", which suggested that this rice dish was originally consumed by farmers and hard labourers. [1]
Another theory suggests that the term uduk is related to the term aduk which means "mix", thus nasi uduk means "mixed rice". [4]
On the other hand, some people connected the etymology to the Javanese traditions. Sultan Agung of Mataram called this rice dish wuduk, from the Arabic word tawadhu' which means being humble before God. [5] [6] Depending on the dialect used, it can be referred to as uduk or wuduk in Javanese. [7] When a reference to its taste is made, it's called sega gurih (lit. savory rice). [7]
According to the book Makanan Khas Betawi (2018) by Lilly T. Erwin, nasi uduk is a Betawi food that is quite popular and easy to find in almost all corners of Jakarta. [1] Despite its current popularity in the Jakarta area, historians suggest that the origin of this rice dish can be traced to the influence of two culinary traditions: Malay and Javanese. [1]
According to historians, there were historic trade and migration links connecting the port of Malacca and the port of Batavia, thus Malay traders and immigrants frequently visited Batavia, thus they brought the nasi lemak cooking tradition into Batavia. Plus, there were Javanese settlers in Batavia who were also familiar with cooking coconut rice. [1] Moreover, after the fall of Portuguese Malacca to the Dutch in 1641, the link between the two port cities was enforced tremendously since finally, both belonged to the Dutch empire. The trace of the Malay people's migration from the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra into Batavia can be seen in the historic name of the Kampung Melayu area in East Jakarta.
On the other hand, some historians suggested that nasi uduk was originated from Java. [8] It was the brainchild of Sultan Agung of Mataram, a Javanese ruler, inspired by his experience consuming kebuli rice . [8] According to Babad Tanah Jawi , Mataram sultans loved to eat "Arabic rice", which may refer to different types of pilaf or Arab-style rice. The phrase is often translated to kebuli (popular among Arabic descent in Indonesia) or biryani (an Indian Muslim dish) as these two dishes are the most commonly known among Javanese Muslims. Sultan Agung decided to create a local version of this "Arab dish" using local ingredients, partly to reduce the imported ingredients required to make that dish. [5]
Soon, sega uduk became a part of syarat (mandatory dish) in Javanese syukuran or "gratitude" ceremonies, often called banca'an (alternative spelling: bancakan) or slametan . Segauduk can be found in a berkat, [9] [10] a food package (usually contains rice, veggies, and side dishes), or served as a tumpeng , to be distributed after the ceremony. Sega uduk also becomes a required dish to be served during Wiwitan, a Javanese pre-harvest ritual. [11]
Uduk was introduced to Batavia by Javanese migrants in 1628, and later became popular dish in this region. [8] Betawi people who sell this dish will often add a Betawi touch by adding semur jengkol . Uduk is also popular among Javanese diasporas in Suriname and the Netherlands.
Nasi uduk is made by cooking rice soaked in coconut milk instead of water, along with clove, cassia bark, and lemongrass to add aroma. Sometimes knotted pandan leaves are thrown into the rice while steaming to enhance the fragrance. The coconut milk and spices infused an oily, rich flavour to the rice. Bawang goreng (fried shallots) is sprinkled on top of the rice before serving. Other dishes are usually served as side dishes.
Depending on the occasion, uduk can be served "berkat style" in a woven bamboo box, wrapped in teak or banana leaves, or served as a large cone on a tampah (a rounded bamboo platter) as a tumpeng .
Recently, nasi uduk is also offered in McDonald's fast food chains in Indonesia. It is coconut rice served with sambal terasi, scrambled egg, bawang goreng (fried shallot), and completed with shredded fried chicken. [12]
For certain rituals or ceremonies, uduk is usually served with traditional Javanese dishes like kering tempe , urap vegetables, and sambel goreng (kentang/potato, krechek /cow's skin, teri/anchovy, etc.). Humble protein sources, such as a hard-boiled egg, fried tempeh, or fried tofu, can also be included in the package.
In today's slametan, modern Indonesian food dishes (or from other regions), such as sliced fried egg, telur bumbu Bali (Balinese style egg), beef either as empal (sweet fried beef) or rendang , may also be included. Some people may also add bihun goreng (rice vermicelli) or mie goreng (noodle) to the dish. Krupuk , rempeyek , or emping can also be added.
Jakarta's style uduk is a cross between Javanese's uduk and Melayu's nasi lemak . It may include jengkol (brown stinky beans) as a Betawi touch, and some elements of nasi lemak, such as teri-kacang, similar to ikan bilis and peanuts in nasi lemak, which is also slightly similar to Javanese sambel gorengteri, except that it is not spicy.
Sambal may be used in a commercial uduk, but it is not a prerequisite for a ritual or ceremonial uduk. In general, any type of sambal can be used as a condiment. Jakarta's style nasi uduk call for sambal kacang, which is hot chili pepper paste mixed with ground peanuts.
Nasi uduk is a popular breakfast fare in Jakarta kampungs or urban residential areas. In most of Pasar pagi traditional markets in Jakarta and surrounding areas, nasi uduk vendors can be easily spotted selling their breakfast offering every morning. Each neighbourhood in Jakarta has its variant of the dish, the most notable being Nasi uduk Slipi from West Jakarta. Kebon Kacang area near Tanah Abang in Central Jakarta is renowned for its nasi uduk. Nasi uduk served in Kebon Kacang style usually consists of a small amount of nasi uduk wrapped in banana leaf, consumed with a variety of side dishes. [13] A single portion of nasi uduk Kebon Kacang style is usually quite small, thus two or multiple wraps of banana leaf nasi uduk are required to be a fulfilling meal.
Nasi uduk is a popular dish for busy commuters in Jakarta, mainly because it is affordable (one serving costs an average Rp10,000 or about US$0.77). It can be found throughout the day; some roadside stalls open exclusively in the morning, noon, or night, depending on the demographics of the surrounding area. Stalls near residential areas, marketplaces, train stations, and schools are usually open from morning to noon, while the ones near offices and street-side are usually open from afternoon to midnight. [14]
Nasi lemak is a dish originating in Malay cuisine that consists of fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf. It is commonly found in Malaysia, where it is considered the national dish. It is also a native dish in neighbouring areas with significant ethnic Malay populations such as Singapore and Southern Thailand. In Indonesia, it can be found in several parts of Sumatra, especially the Malay regions of Riau, Riau Islands and Medan. It is considered an essential dish for a typical Malay-style breakfast. Nasi lemak is featured as a national dish in Malaysian tourism brochures and promotional materials.
Indonesian cuisine is a collection of various regional culinary traditions that formed in the archipelagic nation of Indonesia. There are a wide variety of recipes and cuisines in part because Indonesia is composed of approximately 6,000 populated islands of the total 17,508 in the world's largest archipelago, with more than 1,300 ethnic groups.
Malay cuisine is the traditional food of the ethnic Malays of Southeast Asia, residing in modern-day Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Southern Thailand and the Philippines as well as Cocos Islands, Christmas Island, Sri Lanka and South Africa.
Rijsttafel, a Dutch word that literally translates to "rice table", is an Indonesian elaborate meal adapted by the Dutch following the hidang presentation of nasi padang from the Padang region of West Sumatra. It consists of many side dishes served in small portions, accompanied by rice prepared in several different ways. Popular side dishes include egg rolls, sambals, satay, fish, fruit, vegetables, pickles, and nuts. In most areas where it is served, such as the Netherlands, and other areas of strong Dutch influence, it is known under its Dutch name.
Javanese cuisine is the cuisine of Javanese people, a major ethnic group in Indonesia, more precisely the province of Central Java, Yogyakarta and East Java.
Tumpeng is an Indonesian cone-shaped rice dish with side dishes of vegetables and meat originating from Javanese cuisine of Indonesia. Traditionally featured in the slamatan ceremony, the rice is made by using a cone-shaped woven bamboo container. The rice itself may be plain steamed rice, uduk rice, or yellow rice.
Nasi kuning, or sometimes called nasi kunyit, is an Indonesian fragrant rice dish cooked with coconut milk and turmeric, hence the name nasi kuning.
Nasi liwet is an Indonesian dish rice dish cooked in coconut milk, added with chicken broth, salam leaves, lemongrass, and spices, from Solo, Central Java, Indonesia. Thus, the rice has a rich, aromatic, and succulent taste. The uniqueness of nasi liwet is that it applies a traditional Javanese way of cooking rice in coconut milk. There is another popular variant of the dish, which is the style of Nasi Liwet Sunda from West Java. It is a unique Sundanese cuisine with different taste and presentation, from the Sundanese eating tradition called ngeliwet or botram.
Nasi bogana or nasi begana, pronounced as nah-see boh-gâna, is an Indonesian-style rice dish, originally from Tegal, Central Java. It is usually wrapped in banana leaves and served with side dishes.
Nasi ulam is a traditional Indonesian dish of steamed rice (nasi) served with various herbs and vegetables (ulam).
Nasi kebuli is an Indonesian variation of pilaf. It consists of rice cooked in goat meat broth, goat milk, and clarified butter. It is popular among the Arab community in Indonesia and Betawi people in Jakarta. Nasi kebuli was influenced by Arab culture and its origin can be traced to Middle eastern cuisine, especially Yemeni Arabian influence, Indian cuisine influence, and Afghan influence.
Lontong cap go meh is a Chinese Indonesian take on traditional Indonesian dishes, more precisely Javanese cuisine. It is lontong served with richly-flavoured dishes which include opor ayam chicken in coconut milk, sayur lodeh vegetable soup, hot and spicy liver, hard-boiled pindang egg, koya powder made of soy and dried shrimp or beef floss, pickles, chili paste and prawn cracker. Lontong cap go meh is usually consumed by the Chinese Indonesian community during the Cap go meh celebration.
Nasi padang, sometimes referred to as Padang rice, is a Minangkabau dish of steamed rice served with various choices of pre-cooked dishes originating from West Sumatra, Indonesia. It is named after the city of Padang, capital of the West Sumatra province. A miniature banquet of meats, fish, vegetables, and spicy sambals eaten with plain white rice, it is Sumatra's most famous export and the Minangkabau people's primary contribution to Indonesian cuisine.
Betawi cuisine is rich, diverse and eclectic, in part because the Betawi people that create them were composed from numbers of regional immigrants that came from various places in the Indonesian archipelago, as well as Chinese, Indian, Arab, and European traders, visitors and immigrants that were attracted to the port city of Batavia since centuries ago.
Nasi gurih is an Indonesian steamed rice cooked in coconut milk and spices dish originally from Aceh, Indonesia.
Nasi campur, also known as nasi rames or sego campur in Java, refers to an Indonesian dish of a scoop of nasi putih accompanied by small portions of several other dishes, which includes meats, vegetables, peanuts, eggs, and fried-shrimp krupuk.
Nasi minyak is an Indonesian dish from Palembang cuisine of cooked rice with minyak samin (ghee) and spices. This rice dish is commonly associated with Palembang city, the capital of South Sumatra province. However, it is also common in neighboring Jambi as far north to Medan in North Sumatra. Nasi minyak looks and tastes similar to nasi kebuli, this is because both rice dishes are influenced by Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines, as evidence in the use of ghee and certain spices. Bumbu spice mixture being used including cardamom, anise, clove, caraway, cinnamon, onion, garlic and curry powder.
Nasi tutug oncom or sometimes simply called tutug oncom, is an Indonesian style rice dish, made of rice mixed with oncom fermented beans, originally from Tasikmalaya, West Java. It is usually wrapped in banana leaves and served with various side dishes.
Nasi gemuk is a rice dish cooked with coconut milk and pandan leaf which is one of typical dish of Jambi and Palembang, Indonesia. Aromatic spices used include lemongrass and daun salam.
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