Nasi bakar facts for kids
Nasi bakar seasoned rice dish with fried chicken, mushroom, vegetables, and sambal, wrapped inside bana leaf and grilled upon charcoal fire.
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| Course | Main course |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Indonesia |
| Region or state | Nationwide |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
| Main ingredients | Seasoned rice with various ingredients wrapped in banana leaf and grilled upon charcoal fire. |
Nasi Bakar is a super tasty Indonesian dish that means "burned" or "grilled rice." It's made by taking steamed rice and mixing it with yummy spices and other ingredients. Then, this special rice is carefully wrapped inside a fresh banana leaf.
To keep the package together, people use a small needle called lidi semat, which is made from the middle part of a coconut leaf. After wrapping, the whole package is grilled over hot charcoal. This grilling process makes the banana leaf slightly burned, which gives the rice a truly unique and amazing smell! When it's time to eat, you just unwrap the banana leaf and enjoy the delicious rice inside. Nasi Bakar is a fairly new dish, becoming popular around the early 2000s. It might have come from another dish called nasi timbel, which also uses banana leaves to wrap rice.
What Makes Nasi Bakar Special?
Nasi Bakar is famous for its incredible flavor and aroma. The secret is in the banana leaf. When the leaf gets hot on the grill, it releases a wonderful smell that soaks into the rice. This makes the rice taste even better and gives it a smoky, earthy flavor that you won't find in other rice dishes. It's a fun and exciting way to eat rice!
Delicious Varieties of Nasi Bakar
One of the best things about Nasi Bakar is that there are so many different kinds to try! People love to add all sorts of ingredients to the seasoned rice before wrapping it. This means you can find a Nasi Bakar that suits almost any taste.
Some popular ingredients include:
- Chicken: Often fried chicken pieces are added.
- Beef: Sometimes, empal gepuk (fried beef) is mixed in.
- Seafood: You might find tiny anchovy fish, peda fish, milkfish, or even shrimp.
- Salted Fish: This adds a salty, savory kick.
- Vegetables and Other Goodies: Things like mushrooms, tempeh (a fermented soybean cake), tofu, or even salted duck eggs can be part of the mix.
Each combination creates a unique and delicious meal, making Nasi Bakar a favorite for many in Indonesia.
Gallery
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Wrapped nasi bakar ayam (chicken grilled rice)
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Nasi bakar ayam, chicken rice baked in a banana leaf
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Nasi bakar ayam with tempeh and tofu
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Nasi bakar teri (anchovy) with fried prawn and sambal as side dishes
