Nasi Pecel Recipe

Nasi Pecel

Ingredients

For the Pecel Sauce (Bumbu Pecel)

• 250g roasted peanuts, unsalted (fried or baked until golden)
• 3-5 bird's eye chilies (or to taste), fresh
• 2 cloves garlic, fresh
• 3-4 kaffir lime leaves, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste, dissolved in 2 tbsp warm water
• 50g palm sugar (gula merah), finely chopped
• 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
• Water, for thinning the sauce

For the Vegetables

• 1 bunch water spinach (kangkung), cut into 5cm pieces
• 150g bean sprouts
• 100g long beans, cut into 3cm pieces
• 50g cabbage, thinly sliced
• Optional: cucumber, sliced for garnish

For Serving

• 4 cups cooked white rice
• Optional: Fried tempeh, fried tofu, emping (melinjo crackers), or rempeyek (peanut crackers)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Pecel Sauce:

   1. If not already roasted, roast or fry the peanuts until golden brown. Let cool.
   2. In a mortar and pestle or food processor, grind the roasted peanuts until coarse or fine, according to your preference. Set aside.
   3. In the same mortar and pestle or food processor, combine bird's eye chilies, garlic, kaffir lime leaves, chopped palm sugar, salt, and dissolved tamarind paste. Grind until a smooth paste is formed.
   4. Add the ground peanuts to the spice paste. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
   5. When ready to serve, take a portion of the concentrated Pecel sauce and thin it with warm water until it reaches a thick, pourable consistency. Stir well and taste to adjust seasoning if necessary.

2. Prepare the Vegetables:

   1. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil.
   2. Blanch each type of vegetable separately: water spinach, long beans, bean sprouts, and cabbage. Cook until tender-crisp (usually 1-2 minutes).
   3. Immediately drain the blanched vegetables and optionally plunge them into ice water to stop the cooking process and maintain their vibrant color. Drain thoroughly again.

3. Assemble Nasi Pecel:

   1. Place a generous portion of hot cooked white rice on a serving plate.
   2. Arrange a mix of the blanched vegetables around or next to the rice. Add fresh cucumber slices if using.
   3. Spoon a generous amount of the prepared Pecel sauce over the vegetables and rice.
   4. Serve immediately with optional accompaniments like fried tempeh, fried tofu, emping, or rempeyek.