Nasi Gurih Medan

 

Nasi Gurih is a fragrant rice dish from Sumatra, typically cooked with coconut milk and various spices. It’s rich and savory, perfect as a base for multiple side dishes. Here's a recipe you can try:

Nasi Gurih (Sumatra Coconut Rice)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of rice (preferably jasmine or long-grain rice)
• 1 cup thick coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 2-3 pandan leaves, knotted
• 1 lemongrass stalk, bruised and knotted
• 2-3 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1-2 slices of galangal
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Rice
   Wash the rice thoroughly until the water runs clear. Drain and set aside.

2. Combine Ingredients
   In a pot or rice cooker, combine the rice, coconut milk, and water. Add the pandan leaves, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, bay leaf, galangal, and salt.

3. Cook the Rice

   • If using a rice cooker, simply start the rice cooker and let it cook until done.
   • If cooking on the stovetop, bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender (about 15-20 minutes).

4. Fluff and Serve
   Once the rice is cooked, remove the pandan leaves, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and bay leaf. Fluff the rice gently with a fork.

5. Serve
   Serve the Nasi Gurih warm with your favorite side dishes like fried chicken, sambal, and fresh vegetables or pickles.

Enjoy this delicious and aromatic Sumatran specialty! 

You can eat with Galangal Fried Chicken (Ayam goreng Lengkuas).

Ayam Goreng Lengkuas is a traditional Indonesian fried chicken dish infused with galangal, giving it a unique and aromatic flavor. Here’s a recipe for this deliciously crispy fried chicken with grated galangal:

Ayam Goreng Lengkuas (Galangal Fried Chicken)

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
• 200 grams fresh galangal, peeled and grated
• 3-4 kaffir lime leaves
• 2 lemongrass stalks, bruised
• 2 bay leaves
• 500 ml coconut water (optional, for richer flavor)
• Oil for frying

Spice Paste:

• 5 cloves garlic
• 8 shallots
• 4 candlenuts (substitute with macadamia nuts if unavailable)
• 1-inch piece turmeric
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp white pepper

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Spice Paste
   Blend the garlic, shallots, candlenuts, turmeric, coriander powder, salt, sugar, and white pepper into a smooth paste.

2. Cook the Chicken
   In a pot, combine the chicken pieces, grated galangal, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, bay leaves, spice paste, and coconut water (or water if preferred). Stir well, then bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is tender and the liquid is mostly absorbed (about 30-40 minutes).

3. Fry the Chicken
   Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat. Fry the chicken pieces until they are golden and crispy. Remove and set aside on paper towels.

4. Fry the Grated Galangal
   After removing the chicken, carefully add the leftover grated galangal mixture into the oil and fry until golden brown and crispy. Be cautious, as it can splatter.

5. Serve
   Place the fried chicken on a serving plate and sprinkle the crispy galangal over the top. Serve hot with rice, sambal, and fresh vegetables.

Galangal Chicken is ready, what else should you eat with Nasi Gurih?  

Here are recipes for Perkedel, Indonesian potato fritters. These are popular side dishes in Indonesian cuisine and pair wonderfully with Nasi Gurih. Let's cook Perkedel:

Recipe 1: Perkedel (Indonesian Potato Fritters)

Ingredients:

• 500 grams of potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Oil for frying

Instructions:

1. Cook the Potatoes
   Boil the potato chunks in salted water until tender. Drain and mash them while still hot.

2. Season the Potatoes
   In a bowl, combine the mashed potatoes with garlic, shallots, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Mix well, then let it cool slightly.

3. Form and Coat the Fritters
   Shape the potato mixture into small patties (about 1-2 tablespoons each). Dip each patty into the beaten egg to coat.

4. Fry the Perkedel
   Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the patties until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

5. Serve
   Serve warm as a side dish or snack.

Now the last recipes is "Tempe Orek"  (Sweet and savory stir-fried tempe)

Ingredients:

• 250 grams tempeh, cut into small cubes
• 2 tbsp oil (for frying and stir-frying)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 shallots, finely sliced
• 3 red chilies, sliced (optional, adjust to taste)
• 3 tbsp sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
• 1 tbsp regular soy sauce
• 1 tsp palm sugar or brown sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Fry the Tempeh
   Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Fry the tempeh cubes until golden brown and crispy. Remove and set aside on paper towels.

2. Sauté the Aromatics
   Add a little more oil in the same pan, sauté the garlic, shallots, and chilies until fragrant and softened.

3. Season the Tempeh
   Add the fried tempeh to the pan. Pour in the sweet and regular soy sauces,  and soy sauce, and sprinkle in the palm sugar. Stir well to coat the tempeh evenly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Simmer
   Cook for 1-2 minutes, allowing the sauce to caramelize and coat the tempeh.

5. Serve

Serve Tempe Orek warm alongside rice and other dishes.

Enjoy these classic Indonesian dishes! They’re simple yet full of flavor, perfect for any meal.