RECIPES OF INDONESIA

Ingredients

1 kg

4 tbsp

2 large

3 cloves

8 cups

4 tsp

2 tsp

3

2 strips

Long grain rice

Oil

Onions (finely sliced)

Garlic (finely chopped)

Coconut milk

Salt

Ground turmeric

Duan salam (or 6 curry leaves)

Pandanus leaf (optional)

Banana leaves (or bamboo leaves) (for serving)

6

2

3

3

Marbled eggs

Green cucumbers

Fresh red chillies

Fresh green chillies

Method

1. If rice needs washing, wash well beforehand and allow it to drain for at least 1 hour

2. Heat oil in a large saucepan with a well fitting lid

3. Fry onions and garlic until onions are soft and golden, stirring frequently to prevent burning

4. Add rice and fry for a minute or two, then add coconut milk, salt, turmeric and leaves for flavoring

5. Bring to the boil, stirring with a long spoon

6. As soon as the liquid comes to the boil, turn heat very low, cover tightly with lid and allow to steam for 20 minutes

7. Uncover, quickly stir in with a fork any coconut milk that remains unabsorbed around edge of pan, replace lid and leave on same low heat for a further 3 minutes

8. Turn off heat, uncover and allow steam to escape and rice to cool slightly

9. Remove leaves used for flavoring and gently fork rice onto a large platter or a tray lined with well washed banana or bamboo leaves

10. Shape rice into a cone, pressing firmly (Use pieces of greased banana leaf or foil to do this)

11. Surround with any accompaniments (which should be made beforehand) and garnish. 

12. Garnish: Take the six marbled eggs (made by standing shelled hard boiled eggs in water and food colouring for 2 hours) and cut each in halves lengthways

13. Score the skin of the cucumbers with a fork and cut in very thin slices

14. Make a flower with one of the red chillies, and cut the others into thin diagonal slices and flip out seeds with the point of a small knife 

15. Put the flower on top of the cone, scatter the sliced chillies around the side of the cone, and put the sliced cucumbers and marbled eggs around the base