Nasi Kuning Recipe – Easy, Fast In An Instant Pot
Ah, Nasi Kuning! Picture this: You’re in Indonesia, maybe Bali or Jakarta and the air is thick with the aroma of spices and coconut.
You’re sitting down at the “local table” to partake in a feast that’s not just a meal, but a celebration.
The centerpiece? A towering cone of golden-yellow rice, known as Nasi Kuning.
This isn’t just any rice; it’s a culinary masterpiece infused with the earthy tones of turmeric, the tropical richness of coconut milk, and a symphony of spices like lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and galangal.
It’s a dish that’s as rich in flavor as it is in cultural significance.
What is Nasi Kuning?
Nasi Kuning is a traditional Indonesian dish of yellow rice flavored with coconut milk, giving it a smooth and delicious taste. Turmeric also adds to the taste but also gives the rice dish its characteristic yellow colour.
I love it when we have this dish it is a delicious meal.Â
I never let any leftovers go to waste, I will also store it in the fridge and have a quick meal the next day.
It’s often served during special occasions like birthdays, weddings, and graduations.
The yellow color symbolizes gold, representing wealth, prosperity, and good health in Indonesian culture.
The Ingredients
The dish includes a variety of spices and herbs like lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, salam leaves (Indonesian bay leaf), ginger, chopped galangal, and garlic.
Some versions even include cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves.
Pressure Cooker Nasi Kuning
Nasi Kuning is often called Indonesian Turmeric or yellow rice – This is easy to make and a lovely aromatic side dish or a meal on its own. The turmeric rice is usually stuffed into a cone-shape mold to make nasi tumpeng.
If we are eating a vegetarian version, I like tempeh with mine, but equally, you can eat it with tofu.
See how much rice per person is for 100 guests at a large gathering.
Everybody loves the flavor that is infused into the rice from all the spices and herbs. It is very quick and easy to make, especially in an instant pot or pressure cooker.
Key Spices for Nasi Kuning
Lemongrass
Lemongrass is commonly used throughout Asia but is most common in Southeast Asia.
Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam also employ it in their cuisines for making dishes like Tom Yum Goong and laksa dishes.
Galangal
Galangal has a similar taste and aroma to that of Ginger root. The spicy, peppery, and aromatic qualities of galangal are a signature flavor in many traditional dishes, including curries, soups, and rice preparations add how much you need.Â
Pandan Leaf
The Pandan plant is similar to the palm and features upright, bright green leaves that are long and slender. The leaves are used for their flavor in many Thai and Southeast Asian dishes.Â
Pandan leaves have a nice, sweet taste and a gentle aroma. Its flavor is reasonably strong and is usually said to be grassy with hints of rose, almond, and vanilla. It goes really well with coconut dishes.
Prepare The Rice
After washing the rice, put it in a sieve and let it drain.
Mix In The Turmeric
Add the rice and the turmeric to the instant pot bowl and stir well to mix together.
Prepare the Pandan Leaf
If you have a pandan leaf, crush it and tie it in a knot (see picture)Â
Give the lemongrass a bash also to help release the flavor
Put all the ingredients except the coconut cream in the instant pot bowl and mix well
Add The Coconut Milk Or Cream
Lastly, carefully spoon or very slowly pour the coconut cream so that it sits on top of the other ingredients (else the instant pot may give you a burn warning)
Nasi Kuning Finished
This is what your finished yellow rice should look like.
Take out the noneatable ingredients like pandan leaf, galangal, and lemongrass bay leaf, and you are ready to plate up and eat!
Plate Up the Nasi Kuning
We plated up the traditional way in a cone shape (but use a small bowl if you do not have the cone mold) and added some tempeh on the side – this really makes a wonderful vegetarian dish.Â
Goes really well with our Beef Rendang.
How to Reheat Nasi Kuning
I would recommend just using a microwave and putting a plate over the top of the bowl you are using, and it will keep the moisture in. If the rice has dried out in the fridge or you do not like microwaves, then moist heat like a steamer is good. Simply bring the water in the steamer to a boil and then steam on high heat for five minutes.
Nasi Kuning Yellow Rice Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 2 cups jasmine rice or any long grain rice
- 1 piece lemongrass
- 1/2 lime or lemon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 bayleaves
- 7 oz coconut milk or cream
- 1 pandan leaf leave out if you don’t have it
- 5 slice galangal leave out if you don’t have it or use 2 slices of ginger
- 14 oz water
Instructions
- Wash the rice in several times in water until it runs clear. Drain with a sieve to make sure all water is drained off
- Add the rice and the turmeric to the instant pot bowl and stir well to mix.
- If you have a pandan leaf crush it and tie it in a knot (see picture)
- Give the lemongrass a bash also to help release the flavor
- Put all the ingredients except the coconut cream in the instant pot bowl and mix well
- Lastly carefully spoon or very slowly pour the coconut cream so that it sits on the top (else the instant pot may give you a burn warning)
- Cook for 5 minutes with 10 minutes natural pressure release
- Take out the pandan, galangal, bay leavesÂ
- Tip – if the rice is a little sticky add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and mix and it will become nice and fluffy.