Nasi Timbel

Nasi Timbel (Sundanese Banana-Wrapped Rice)

A classic Sundanese dish from West Java: steamed rice wrapped in banana leaves along with fried chicken, tempeh, anchovies, eggplant, and a fiery sambal terasi.

Prep

25 min

Cook

60 min

Total

85 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) jasmine or medium-grain rice, rinsed until water runs clear
• •600 ml (2½ cups) water, for cooking the rice
• •1 tsp salt
• •2 pandan leaves pandan leaves, tied into knots, optional but traditional
• •4 large pieces banana leaves, wilted over a flame to make pliable; substitute with parchment if unavailable
• •600 g (1 lb 5 oz) bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, Ayam Goreng; pat dry
• •4 cloves garlic, crushed
• •1 tsp coriander powder
• •white pepper, ½
• •salt, ½
• •200 ml (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) oil, for frying
• •200 g (7 oz) tempeh, sliced 1 cm thick
• •80 g (2¾ oz) dried anchovies (ikan teri), heads removed, washed
• •2 medium Thai eggplants or 1 long eggplant, sliced and fried
• •100 g (3½ oz) long beans, cut 4 cm pieces, optional
• •1 tsp shrimp paste (terasi), toasted
• •6 medium red bird's eye chilies
• •3 cloves shallots
• •2 cloves garlic
• •1 tsp palm sugar
• •salt, ½
• •1 lime lime, juiced
• •4 tbsp cucumber slices and raw vegetables, lalapan, to serve

Steps

1. 1 Combine rice, water, salt, and pandan in a rice cooker or pot; cook until tender. Keep covered so the grains stay fluffy.
2. 2 Marinate the chicken with garlic, coriander, white pepper, and salt for 20 minutes. Fry in hot oil over medium heat for about 8–10 minutes per side until golden and cooked through; the internal temperature must reach 75°C / 165°F at the thickest part. Drain on paper towels.
3. 3 Fry the tempeh slices until golden on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Drain. Fry the anchovies in a little oil until crisp and dry, about 2 minutes. Fry eggplant slices and long beans briefly until just tender; set aside.
4. 4 Make the sambal terasi: grind toasted terasi, chilies, shallots, and garlic to a coarse paste using a mortar. Fry the paste in 1 tbsp oil over medium heat for 4–5 minutes until fragrant and darkened. Stir in palm sugar, salt, and a squeeze of lime; taste and adjust.
5. 5 Wilt the banana leaves over an open flame or a hot dry pan for a few seconds per side until soft and glossy; this prevents tearing. Pass them briefly over a flame to sterilize.
6. 6 To assemble each packet: lay a piece of banana leaf on the work surface. Mound a portion of warm rice in the center, then place chicken, tempeh, anchovies, eggplant, and long beans alongside. Add a spoonful of sambal terasi. Fold the leaf into a neat rectangular parcel, tucking the edges under like an envelope. Traditionally these are briefly warmed on a dry pan or grilled leaf-side down for 30 seconds per side so the leaf aroma infuses the rice.
7. 7 Serve immediately with cucumber, raw long beans, and extra sambal on the side. Diners unfold the leaf at the table and eat with their right hand, as is customary.