Lontong

Lontong is a traditional Indonesian rice cake, made by boiling tightly packed rice in banana leaves until it forms a firm, compact texture. The result is a mildly fragrant, chewy, and slightly firm rice cake, which is then sliced into bite-sized pieces and served as a staple carbohydrate in many Indonesian, Malaysian, and Singaporean dishes.

Unlike steamed rice, lontong has a more cohesive texture, making it ideal for soaking up rich, flavorful sauces. The process of making lontong involves partially cooking rice, packing it into banana leaf cylinders, and then boiling it for several hours.

The compression inside the leaf casing allows the rice to bind together, creating its distinct shape and dense texture. Once cooled, the banana leaf is peeled away, revealing the pale, green-tinted rice cake with a subtle aroma from the banana leaves.  Read more