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Rice & grains Lunch / Dinner Side Dishes

Malaysian butterfly pea flower rice (nasi kerabu)

Published: 07.30.2020 » Last updated: 02.26.2023

Rice cooked with butterfly pea flower brew results in blue rice. The rice can be a homogenous blue but you may give it a marbled look just for fun.

Malaysian butterfly pea flower rice (nasi kerabu) with sliced omelette on wooden plate

Nasi kerabu is traditionally served with fried (or grilled) meat, chicken or fish, and assortment of herbs and vegetables, and crackers. We just had it with eggs.

Pretty, huh? The thing is, butterfly pea flower brew does not really add any distinctive taste or aroma to the rice. Throwing in aromatic ingredients seemed like a good idea. So, I threw in lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and salt into the rice before switching on the rice cooker. That way, not only did I get the lovely color, the rice came out aromatic and flavorful as well.

But what the heck is butterfly pea flower? They are real flowers. They are sold dried. We discovered them in Chiang Mai and brought home a pack.

Osmanthus, butterfly pea flowers and roselle steeping in hot water

Like other flowers like osmanthus and roselle, dried butterfly pea flowers are steeped in hot water to make a brew for drinking or for use as natural food color for cooking. See the linked post below for more about this interesting flower.

Butterfly pea flower

Butterfly pea flowers

Steep to make a blue herbal brew that can be drank like tea or use to make Malaysian nasi kerabu. The scientific name Clitoria ternatea.

Read moreButterfly pea flowers

Malaysian butterfly pea flower rice (nasi kerabu)

Connie Veneracion
This recipe has instructions for cooking the blue marbled rice only. For a homogenous blue nasi kerabu, stir the butterfly pea flower brew into the rice before switching on the rice cooker.
What to serve the rice with is up to you.
Malaysian butterfly pea flower rice (nasi kerabu) with sliced omelette on wooden plate
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Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Soaking time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 50 minutes mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Malaysian
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups jasmine rice
  • 2 pinches salt
  • 1 stalk lemongrass lightly pounded
  • 1 pair kaffir lime leaves
  • 6 dried butterfly pea flowers

Instructions
 

  • Rinse the jasmine rice several times until the water is no longer cloudy.
  • Drain the rinsed rice and place in the rice cooker and pour in 4 ½ cups of water. Leave to soak for 30 minutes.
  • Stir the salt into the rice.
  • Add the lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves to the rice, and switch on the rice cooker.
  • Place the butterfly pea flowers in a cup and pour in half a cup of hot water. Leave to steep.
  • When the rice is done, uncover the cooker and rake through the grains with a fork to fluff up the rice.
  • Strain the butterfly pea flower brew and drizzle over the cooked rice. Stir lightly.
  • Replace the rice cooker lid and leave the rice to continue cooking in the residual heat (no, don't turn on the rice cooker again) for another five minutes.

Connie Veneracion

Lawyer by education. Journalist by accident. Writer by passion. Photographer by necessity. Good food, coffee and wine lover forever. Read more about me and Umami Days. Find me on Flipboard, Substack and Pinterest.

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