Nasi uduk is Jakarta's beloved coconut rice, and it's proof that rice on its own can be a dish worth getting excited about. The rice is cooked slowly in coconut milk with a bundle of aromatics, pandan leaf, lemongrass and bay leaves, so every grain comes out soft, faintly sweet and perfumed rather than heavy or greasy.
You'll find it sold from street stalls all over Jakarta first thing in the morning, piled onto a banana leaf and topped with all sorts of extras, fried shallots, a fried egg, shredded omelette, fried tempeh and a dollop of sambal. It's meant to be a canvas, so don't feel like you need to stick rigidly to any one combination.
This version keeps things straightforward so you can get a pot of properly fragrant coconut rice on the table any night of the week, then dress it up with whatever sides you have handy.
