Lontong in Banana Leaf
Lontong is an Indonesian rice cake made -traditionally- in a banana leaf. I sometimes buy lontong rice in plastic bags, but banana leaf gives the lontong a delicious earthy flavor.
Indonesia Eats based in Canada, lets me know that she uses special lontong molds. Those molds make the most neat lontong rolls and you can even add banana leaf for color and flavor. Check out her post here.
Lontong can be eaten with satay babi and peanut sauce or with a gado gado for example.
Wath the video how to make lontong or read along for the recipe in text and pictures.
Ingredients
- 75 grams dry pandan rice pp
- pandan leaf
- lemongrass
- pinch of salt
- fresh banana leaf
- Add water until one phalanx above the rice.
- Cook the rice with the pandan leaf, lemongrass and the salt.
- Take it off the heat as little wholes start to form on the service and the rice still looks pretty wet.
- Stir this through thoroughly until the rice starts to come together a bit
- Let the rice cool for 15 minutes
- Stir it through once again before use
- Cut the banana leaf in 3 finger long pieces
- Rinse with water and with boiling hot water and wipe clean and cry
- Add a sauce of rice to one side of a banana leaf.
- Form it well into a tight sausage shape and roll it close and tight
- Close the sides with a toothpick
- Cook the lontong on low heat for one hour
- After one hour take them out of the water immediately and let the lontong drain straight up.
- Let the lontong cool completely; best overnight in the fridge
I use 75 grams of dry rice per person. 150 grams of dry rice makes 3 lontong rice cakes and is enough for 2-3 people.
I add my rice to a pan and fill it up with water until it is one phalanx above the rice. I add the pandan leaf, lemongrass and the salt. I bring it to the boil and let it simmer until it looks like this.
When the rice starts to form air pockets but there is still a bit of liquid on top, take the pan of the heat and stir firmly until the rice grains start to break at bit.
Let it the rice cool on a plate and mix (kneed with two spoons) before use.
Cut the banana leaves in 3 finger long sheets. Rinse them under running water and pour over boiling hot water to melt the oil that hides in the leaf. This makes the leaf more felixible for rolling. Now wipe the banana leaf dry, gently, with a tea towel.
Add the rice and form it into a compact sausage.
Roll the leaf gently over the rice and form a long roll. Close the sides like this.
When the leaf breaks I just add an extra layer of leaf.
Let the lontong simmer for 1 hour. Do not add too much water to the pan. The lontong just needs to be underwater. The sides stick out upwards.
After one hour take them out of the water and drain them in a colander standing up straight, so the extra water can leave easily.
Let the lontong cool completely before cutting. I leave mine in the fridge overnight. The next day the lontong is dense like a cake and holds it’s shape beautifully.
