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Vegetarian, South and Southeast Asian

Nasi kuning with balado eggs and sautéed tempeh

Nasi kuning is Indonesia's festive yellow rice, cooked with turmeric and coconut milk, served here with spicy balado eggs and sautéed tempeh. This recipe serves 4, takes 50 minutes, and is rated moderate difficulty, at a cost of €2.90 per serving. The key is cooking the rice covered without ever lifting the lid, so it stays fragrant and tender.

Tonight, nasi kuning, Indonesia's festive yellow rice with turmeric and coconut milk, served with spicy balado eggs and sautéed tempeh.

Nasi kuning with balado eggs and sautéed tempeh
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€2.90
Calories per person
680 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Nasi kuning gets its color and fragrance from turmeric and coconut milk, which coat every grain of rice with a mild, slightly sweet flavor. The balado eggs, rolled in a thick sambal of chilies, tomatoes and shallots, bring the heat that balances the rice's sweetness. Caramelized tempeh glazed in sweet soy sauce adds a firm texture and a faintly smoky taste, far from any flat ideas about soy.

This dish takes a bit of organizing, since the rice, eggs and tempeh are each cooked separately, but none of it is difficult. It's great for a Sunday when you have time to shape the rice into a nice cone, or to surprise guests with a colorful, complete meal. Kids who like hard boiled eggs and coconut rice tend to enjoy it too, especially if you tone down the sambal's heat.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Jasmine riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Coconut milkoften in the pantry 30 cl
  • Turmericoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Bay leafoften in the pantry 2
  • Sweet soy sauceoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Neutral oiloften in the pantry 5 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Lemongrass 1 stalk
  • Red chilies 2
  • Tomatoes 2
  • Shallots 2
  • Cucumber 1

Dairy

  • Eggs 4
  • Tempeh 250 g

Allergens Eggs, Soy

The step by step recipe

  1. Rinse the rice, pour it into a saucepan with the coconut milk, 250 ml of water, the turmeric, the crushed lemongrass, the bay leaf and some salt, and cook covered over low heat. 20 min

    Don't lift the lid, the steam cooks the rice.

  2. Boil the eggs for ten minutes, peel them and fry them in oil until the skin blisters. 10 min

    Pat them dry before frying to limit splattering.

  3. Crush the chilies, tomatoes and shallots, cook them into a sambal with a little oil, then roll the eggs in it. 8 min

    The sauce should be thick enough to coat the eggs.

  4. Cut the tempeh into cubes, brown it in oil and caramelize it with the sweet soy sauce. 6 min

    Wait until the tempeh is well browned before adding the soy sauce.

  5. Plate the yellow rice with the balado eggs, the tempeh and sliced cucumber.

    Shape the rice into a cone using an upturned bowl for a festive presentation.

Our tips to get it right

  • Drain the tempeh well after cubing it, leftover moisture keeps it from browning properly in the pan.
  • Make the sambal a little ahead of time, it tastes better after resting a few minutes before you roll the eggs in it.
  • For rice that's truly golden and bright, use fresh turmeric or good quality turmeric powder that isn't too old.

The variations

  • Swap the tempeh for firm tofu cubed and browned the same way, for an equally plant-based version.
  • For kids sensitive to spice, remove the chili seeds or use just one chili in the sambal.
  • For a quicker version, use already boiled eggs and skip straight to the sambal step.

What to serve it with

  • Hot jasmine tea
  • Grilled shrimp crackers
  • Cucumber and peanut salad

Storage

The rice, balado eggs and tempeh keep for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, ideally stored separately. Reheat the rice with a splash of water in the microwave or steam it so it doesn't dry out. This dish doesn't freeze well because of the fresh cucumber, which is best added after reheating.

Questions about this dish

Can you replace the tempeh with something else?

Yes, firm tofu works well and cooks the same way, cubed, browned, then caramelized in soy sauce. Shredded chicken is also an option if the dish doesn't need to stay vegetarian.

How do you get rice that's truly yellow and not bland?

Use good quality turmeric and keep the rice covered while it cooks without lifting the lid. The lemongrass and bay leaf trick adds fragrance so the rice doesn't taste flat despite its bright color.

Can you make this dish ahead of time?

You can cook the rice and prepare the balado eggs the day before, then gently reheat them before serving. The tempeh tastes best freshly sautéed, since it loses some of its crispness once it cools.

Is the sambal too spicy for kids?

It mostly depends on the chilies you use, you can remove the seeds or use just one chili. Kids can also eat the rice, eggs and tempeh without sambal, serving it on the side for the adults.

How long does it take to make a nasi kuning with balado eggs and sautéed tempeh?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a nasi kuning with balado eggs and sautéed tempeh?

About 680 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a nasi kuning with balado eggs and sautéed tempeh cost?

About €2.90 per serving, or €11.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains eggs, soy. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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