Food — Indonesia

Breakfast Chronicles: Nasi Minyak

A delightful combination that satisfies your taste buds.

Welcome to episode three of my new series in my food stories — Breakfast Chronicles.

This will reveal the breakfast from Jambi, Indonesia. I’m sure some of you’ll find something new or discover similarities.

For those who want to read the previous episode:

We must all agree that the key to cooking lies in the spices. The more complex the spices used, the more delectable the result.

For example, Nasi Gemuk, as mentioned in my earlier story, can be made savory by cooking rice in coconut milk and adding some spices. Transform the ordinary into the extraordinary.

It’s the same with Nasi Minyak, which translates to oily rice.

But wait, the oily here isn’t about greasiness but shimmering, like gold. And it’s because of the ghee (a type of clarified butter).

Not only is the ghee, but so are the spices: cardamom, anise, clove, caraway, cinnamon, onion, ketchup, and garlic.

They all infused each grain of rice, creating an appealing fragrance that would make your mouth water.

Of course, it doesn’t come alone; it arrives on a platter with sliced cucumber, beef malbi (beef stew in sweet soy sauce), emping (cracker), and a dusting of fried shallots.

Yet, what makes the Nasi Minyak special is the sambal with pineapple.

I bet you can now picture the taste.

In each bite, the flavorful infused rice, the tender sweet beef, the tangy, and a touch of sour sambal dance together on the palate.

Oops, don’t forget to nibble the cracker, which adds a layer of taste.

Thank you for reading this story ❤

See you.