How to Make "Nasi Krawu", a Spicy Rice Dish from Gresik

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What is "Nasi Krawu"?

"Nasi krawu" is a rice dish that originated from Gresik, a coastal town in East Java. The name krawu comes from the Javanese word for grabbing, as the rice is usually served on a banana leaf and eaten by hand. The rice is cooked with coconut milk and pandan leaves, giving it a fragrant and creamy texture. The rice is accompanied by shredded beef that is boiled with spices and then fried until crispy, coconut flakes that are roasted with turmeric and salt, and a spicy chili sauce made with shrimp paste or fermented black beans. Nasi krawu is a popular breakfast or lunch option in Gresik and other parts of East Java.

How to Make "Nasi Krawu"

To make "nasi krawu", you will need the following ingredients:

• 300 grams of beef, cut into thin slices
• 700 ml of water
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 lemongrass stalk, bruised
• 150 ml of coconut milk
• 8 shallots
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 cm of galangal
• 1 cm of turmeric, roasted
• 2 teaspoons of coriander seeds
• 3 candlenuts, roasted
• 1/2 teaspoon of tamarind paste
• 1 teaspoon of palm sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of white sugar
• 400 grams of white rice
• 500 ml of water
• 200 ml of coconut milk
• 2 pandan leaves, knotted
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

To make the shredded beef:

• Mix the beef with water, salt, bay leaves and lemongrass in a pot. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat. Simmer until the beef is tender and the water is reduced.
• In a blender or mortar and pestle, grind the shallots, garlic, galangal, turmeric, coriander seeds, candlenuts, tamarind paste, palm sugar, white sugar and salt into a smooth paste.
• Add the coconut milk and the spice paste to the pot with the beef. Stir well and cook until the sauce is thickened.
• Remove the beef from the pot and shred it with two forks or your fingers.
• Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the shredded beef until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.

To make the rice:

• Rinse the rice and drain well.
• In a rice cooker or a pot, combine the rice, water, coconut milk, pandan leaves and salt. Cook until the rice is fluffy and the liquid is absorbed.

To make the coconut flakes:

• Peel and grate a fresh coconut. You will need about 1/4 of a coconut for this recipe.
• Divide the grated coconut into two portions. One portion will be roasted with turmeric and salt, and the other portion will be roasted with chili and garlic.
• To make the yellow coconut flakes, blend or pound two garlic cloves, 3/4 teaspoon of salt and 2 cm of roasted turmeric into a paste. Add the paste to one portion of the grated coconut and mix well.
• To make the red coconut flakes, blend or pound three red chilies, two garlic cloves, 3/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar into a paste. Add the paste to the other portion of the grated coconut and mix well.
• In a frying pan over low heat, dry roast each portion of the coconut flakes separately, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant. Be careful not to burn them.

To make the chili sauce:

• Blend or pound five red chilies, two bird's eye chilies, one teaspoon of shrimp paste or fermented black beans, 1/4 teaspoon of tamarind paste, one teaspoon of palm sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt into a smooth paste.

To serve:

• Place a banana leaf on a plate. Scoop some rice onto the leaf and flatten it slightly.
• Top the rice with some shredded beef, yellow coconut flakes and red coconut flakes.
• Serve with the chili sauce on the side.