Fragrant golden rice cooked in coconut milk and turmeric with lemongrass and pandan, traditionally cone-shaped (tumpeng) for celebrations and served with assorted sides.
Nasi kuning is the festive yellow rice of Java and beyond, cooked in coconut milk and turmeric and mounded into a cone (tumpeng). Its golden colour stands for prosperity and gratitude, crowning birthdays, blessings and celebrations.
Each golden grain is rich with coconut and perfumed by lemongrass and pandan, savory enough to eat alone. The turmeric lends a gentle earthy warmth that pairs beautifully with crispy fried chicken and fiery sambal.
Cooking rice in coconut milk replaces water with fat and protein that coat each grain, while turmeric's fat-soluble curcumin stains the rice a vivid, even gold.
Variations
Tumpeng (cone for celebrations), nasi kuning Manado, Banjar version with serundeng, everyday flat-served bowls
On the Palate
Where Nasi Kuning sits in the Indonesian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 5
How it's made
7 steps · 15 min
- 15 min
Rinse the rice until the water runs clear and drain well.
Watch outRinse the rice until the water runs clear — leftover surface starch turns the coconut rice gummy instead of separate and fluffy.
- 25 min
Toast and grind turmeric, or use fresh turmeric juice for color.
- 35 min
Combine rice with coconut milk, turmeric, lemongrass, pandan and bay leaves.
- 412 min
Bring to a simmer, stirring until the liquid is mostly absorbed.
Watch outSimmer just until the coconut milk is mostly absorbed and small craters appear on the surface — that's the cue to move it to the steam.
- 520 min
Steam the par-cooked rice until fluffy and fully tender.
Watch outSteam until every grain is tender and the gold color is even — undercooked, the center of the mound stays chalky.
- 62 min
Fluff with a fork and discard the aromatics.
- 76 min
Mound into a cone and surround with sides like fried chicken, egg and sambal.
