Nasi Liwet — Aromatic Savoury Rice with Vegetables
A beloved traditional Indonesian comfort dish — fluffy white rice cooked slowly in seasoned vegetable broth with fresh vegetables, aromatic lemongrass, galangal, and fragrant kaffir lime leaves. The rice absorbs all the wonderful herbal aromas and savoury flavour, turning beautifully fragrant and delicious. Loaded with colourful vegetables, it is wholesome, satisfying, and naturally comforting. Prepared completely plant-based — no coconut milk, meat, or fish, yet every bit as rich, aromatic, and delicious as the traditional version!
Shared by novi
Time
45 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
easy
🛒 Ingredients
- #Main Ingredients;
- 2 cups jasmine or long-grain rice — rinsed well, drained
- 3½ cups clear vegetable stock or water
- 1 medium carrot — peeled, cut into thick slices
- 1 medium potato — peeled, cubed
- ½ cup green beans — trimmed, cut into short lengths
- 100 g button mushrooms — quartered
- ½ red or green bell pepper — diced
- #Aromatics & Seasoning
- 3 shallots — thinly sliced.. 2 cloves garlic — thinly sliced
- 2 stalks lemongrass — crushed or knotted.. 2 cm fresh galangal — thinly sliced
- 4 kaffir lime leaves — torn slightly to release aroma
- ½ tsp sea salt — adjust to taste.. ½ tsp ground white pepper
- 1 tsp coconut sugar or cane sugar — to balance flavour
- 1 tbsp neutral cooking oil
- Fresh parsley, celery, or lemon basil — for garnish
👩🍳 Instructions
- 1
Sauté aromatics: Heat oil in a heavy pot or rice cooker inner pot over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic, lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves. Sauté gently for 1–2 minutes until wonderfully fragrant — do not brown.
- 2
Add vegetables: Toss in carrot, potato, green beans, mushrooms, and bell pepper. Stir and sauté for 2–3 minutes until vegetables begin to soften slightly.
- 3
Add rice & liquid: Add the rinsed and drained rice. Pour in vegetable stock or water. Season with salt, white pepper, and sugar. Stir gently to combine everything evenly. Bring to a gentle boil.
- 4
Simmer until tender: Reduce heat to lowest setting. Cover tightly and simmer undisturbed for 20–25 minutes until all liquid has been absorbed and rice is tender. If using a rice cooker, switch it on and let it run its full cycle.
- 5
Rest & fluff: Once cooked, turn off heat. Let it rest covered for another 5–10 minutes so rice steams perfectly and flavours settle. Remove lemongrass and galangal. Fluff gently with a fork.
- 6
Serve: Garnish generously with fresh herbs. Serve warm as a complete meal, alongside sambal or fresh cucumber slices if desired. Enjoy!