NASI TUMPENG

Serves 15

Prep time 15 minutes Cook time 1 hour

10 shallots

5 cloves garlic

5cm turmeric, roasted

3 tbsp vegetable oil

5 daun salam (Indonesian bay leaves)

5 lime leaves

2 stalks lemongrass, pounded 5cm ginger, pounded

1 litre coconut milk (or from 2 coconuts)

1 tbsp salt

7 cups white rice grains, washed and drained garnish

6 banana leaves

1 carrot, sliced cross-wise 6 butterhead lettuce leaves 10 Chinese long beans

6 big red chillies

2 tomatoes

• Blend shallots, garlic and turmeric in a food processor.

• Heat vegetable oil in a wok and fry blended ingredients until fragrant.

• Add the rest of ingredients and transfer to rice cooker.

• Line the inside of a tumpeng mould with a small amount of oil, and transfer the cooked rice (while it’s still hot), one spoonful at a time, into the mould. Press the rice tightly into the mould, and fill to the brim. • After a few minutes, unmould the rice structure onto a large platter lined with the circular cutout of a banana leaf.

• Cut 4 banana leaves to create about 15 rectangles. Fold to create triangles and staple to secure the shapes. Staple the triangles onto the circular base.

• Plate each ingredient surrounding the rice structure with a lettuce leaf.

• Slice a carrot cross-wise in thin slivers, and create ‘flowers’ by cutting out tiny triangular pieces from the edges. Secure to the side of the middle tier with toothpicks.

• Parboil the long beans for 2 seconds and braid. Secure to the base tier of the rice structure with toothpicks.

• Create chilli ‘flowers’ by slicing red chillies lengthwise, leaving a 2cm base.

• Make vertical cuts on the tomatoes (do not cut all the way through), and peel each layer to form ‘flower petals’.

• Garnish the dishes surrounding your nasi tumpeng structure with the chilli and tomato ‘flowers’.

• Roll a banana leaf into a cone, staple to secure, and place on top of the rice structure.