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
Lontong is commonly served with savory dishes such as gado-gado (vegetable salad with peanut sauce), soto (Indonesian soup), opor ayam (coconut chicken stew), sate Padang (spicy beef satay), and rendang (slow-cooked beef in coconut sauce). It is also a key component in lontong sayur, a classic dish where lontong is paired with vegetables in coconut curry broth.
As a versatile dish, lontong is enjoyed throughout Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, often as part of festive meals, street food offerings, or home-cooked feasts.
Serve with
Gado-gado
Gado-gado is an Indonesian version of a mixed salad. It usually consists of a variety of vegetables, eggs, tempeh, and tofu. The vegetables are usually just slightly boiled,... Read more
Soto
Throughout Indonesia, soto is known under various names such as the Makassar coto or the Pekalongan tauto. However, this traditional Indonesian soup ... Read more
Opor ayam
Indonesian chicken stew is based on an aromatic combination of coconut milk and numerous spices such as lemongrass, tamarind, cinnamon, galangal, palm sugar, coriander,... Read more
Rendang
Rendang is an Indonesian meat dish which originated among the Minangkabau people in West Sumatra. The dish is famous for its spiciness and a long cooking procedure. It ... Read more
WHERE TO EAT The best Lontong in the world (according to food experts)
