Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat

Indonesian Arem-Arem Rice Rolls

印尼香蕉葉椰香飯卷 Arem-Arem

Indonesian Arem-Arem Rice Rolls — finished dish

Total time: 95 min
Difficulty: Medium
Servings: 4 servings

Recipe overview

Rice is half-cooked in coconut milk, wrapped around peppered minced chicken, rolled tightly in banana leaf and steamed into portable Arem-Arem.

01

Ingredients

Main ingredients

400 g rice
500 ml coconut milk
250 g minced chicken
8 pieces banana leaves

Main seasoning

2 leaves Indonesian salam leaves
1 tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp salt

Indonesian Arem-Arem Rice Rolls — ingredients

02

Tools

sieve
heavy pot
spatula
banana leaves
steamer
picks

Indonesian Arem-Arem Rice Rolls — tools

03

Steps

Indonesian Arem-Arem Rice Rolls — Rinse rice until clear and drain fifteen minutes

Step 1

Rinse rice until clear and drain fifteen minutes

Rinse rice until clear and drain fifteen minutes.

Indonesian Arem-Arem Rice Rolls — Warm coconut milk with salam leaves and half the salt without splitting it

Step 2

Warm coconut milk with salam leaves and half the salt without splitting it

Warm coconut milk with salam leaves and half the salt without splitting it.

Indonesian Arem-Arem Rice Rolls — Add rice and stir until coconut milk is absorbed and grains are half-cooked

Step 3

Add rice and stir until coconut milk is absorbed and grains are half-cooked

Add rice and stir until coconut milk is absorbed and grains are half-cooked.

Indonesian Arem-Arem Rice Rolls — Spread coconut rice to cool and discard the salam leaves

Step 4

Spread coconut rice to cool and discard the salam leaves

Spread coconut rice to cool and discard the salam leaves.

Indonesian Arem-Arem Rice Rolls — Heat one tablespoon oil and fry minced chicken until crumbly and opaque

Step 5

Heat one tablespoon oil and fry minced chicken until crumbly and opaque

Heat one tablespoon oil and fry minced chicken until crumbly and opaque.

Indonesian Arem-Arem Rice Rolls — Add pepper and remaining salt; fry dry and confirm chicken reaches at least 75°C

Step 6

Add pepper and remaining salt; fry dry and confirm chicken reaches at least 75°C

Add pepper and remaining salt; fry dry and confirm chicken reaches at least 75°C.

Indonesian Arem-Arem Rice Rolls — Scald banana leaves to soften, dry and cut into rectangles

Step 7

Scald banana leaves to soften, dry and cut into rectangles

Scald banana leaves to soften, dry and cut into rectangles.

Indonesian Arem-Arem Rice Rolls — Spread half-cooked coconut rice on each leaf and add chicken filling centrally

Step 8

Spread half-cooked coconut rice on each leaf and add chicken filling centrally

Spread half-cooked coconut rice on each leaf and add chicken filling centrally.

Indonesian Arem-Arem Rice Rolls — Enclose the filling completely with rice and roll into a firm cylinder

Step 9

Enclose the filling completely with rice and roll into a firm cylinder

Enclose the filling completely with rice and roll into a firm cylinder.

Indonesian Arem-Arem Rice Rolls — Fold both ends, secure with picks and place seam-side down

Step 10

Fold both ends, secure with picks and place seam-side down

Fold both ends, secure with picks and place seam-side down.

Indonesian Arem-Arem Rice Rolls — Steam thirty minutes until the centre is fully hot and rice tender

Step 11

Steam thirty minutes until the centre is fully hot and rice tender

Steam thirty minutes until the centre is fully hot and rice tender.

Indonesian Arem-Arem Rice Rolls — Rest ten minutes to set, then unwrap and serve

Step 12

Rest ten minutes to set, then unwrap and serve

Rest ten minutes to set, then unwrap and serve.

Common mistakes

Fully cooking the rice before wrapping makes it pasty; wet filling loosens the rolls.

Tips

Steam seam-side down to prevent opening; cool slightly for cleaner slices.