Vegetarian Nasi Kerabu

Ingredients(for 1 generous plate with blue rice, ulam, and condiments)

• 1 cup White rice (preferably long grain)
• 10 flowers Bunga telang (butterfly pea flowers) (for natural blue coloring)
• 1 leaf Pandan leaf (knotted)
• 1/4 cup Santan (light coconut milk) (freshly squeezed)
• 1 stalk Serai (lemongrass) (bruised)
• 1/2 Cucumber (julienned)
• 1/2 cup Bean sprouts (blanched)
• 1/4 cup Daun kesum (Vietnamese coriander) (sliced)
• 1/2 Carrot (julienned)
• 2 tbsp Toasted grated coconut (kerisik) (lightly toasted)
• 2 tbsp Sambal (vegetarian, prepared without belacan)
• to taste Salt

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak bunga telang in 1/2 cup hot water for 10 minutes to extract the blue color. Strain and reserve the blue water.

   10 minutes

   Use more flowers for a deeper blue hue.

2. 2

   Rinse the rice and place it in a rice cooker with pandan leaf, lemongrass, santan, salt, and the blue water from bunga telang. Add enough water to cook the rice as usual.

   2 minutes

   Ensure lemongrass is bruised for maximum aroma.

3. 3

   Cook the rice until fluffy and blue-tinted. Once done, fluff the rice and remove the pandan and lemongrass.

   20 minutes

   Let rice rest for 5 minutes after cooking for best texture.

4. 4

   While rice cooks, prepare ulam: Julienne cucumber and carrot, slice daun kesum, and blanch bean sprouts for 1 minute.

   5 minutes

   Use a variety of fresh local herbs for authentic flavor.