[Jakarta] It is known widely that whenever we talk about “Indonesian food”, we are actually referring to the traditional home-cooked dishes and varieties of the regional cuisines.
These are found at eateries or street vendors rather than the typical hipster cafes.
When visiting Jakarta, one must eat ‘Nasi Uduk’ which you can find easily throughout the city.
“Nasi Uduk” literally means “mixed rice”, a type of Betawi (native Jakartans) style rice cooked in coconut milk and mixtures of herbs and spices.
It is often served with different side dishes such as fried chicken, tofu, tempeh (fermented soybean cake) and lastly, served with sambel kacang (spicy peanut sauce).
To simplify, meet the Nasi Lemak of Jakarta.
Personally I think that Nasi Uduk & Nasi Lemak are like Luke and Princess Lea they came from the same family but was raised in different part of the region.
Nasi Lemak tends to be on the mild and lighter, while Nasi Uduk is on the strong and heavier side.
I always love finding hole-in-a-wall restaurants. ‘Nasi Uduk Ibu Amah’ is tucked away in a remote alley away from the hustle & bustle of the city life.
The alley is so small and obscure that you need to leave your car and walk a good distance throughout the narrow passageways to get there.
Truly a hidden gem. So hidden that barely local bloggers knew about the existence of this Nasi Uduk stall.
What makes Ibu Amah stall stand out from the rest?
Firstly, there are no regular operating hours, but the stall is usually opened from around 4 to 7pm. You know exactly Ibu Amah opens her stall when the aroma of fried chicken filled in the narrow alley.
Secondly, there is no ‘dine-in’ option as there are no tables and chairs to accommodate customers.
On top of that, she does not serves any extra for dine in, as all portions are already pre-ordered a day before.
The best chance to taste Ibu Amah famous Nasi Uduk is to call and ‘reserve’ your portions a day or few hours before she open.
Lastly, unlike most Nasi Uduk stalls, who serves tons of side dishes, Ibu Amah only have 3 side dishes items which consists of: Tahu goreng (fried tofu) IDR 5k (SGD0.50), Tempeh (soybean cake) IDR 5k (SGD0.50) and Ayam Goreng
(fried chicken) IDR 25k (SGD 2.50).
A plate of Nasi Uduk is sold at IDR 10k (SGD1.00).
Keep in mind that the average cost of food street full meal is about IDR 12-15K (SGD1.20-1.50).
By setting ‘atas’ price for her side dishes, is this worth it?
The first bite, took me straight to heaven.
The Nasi Uduk was aromatic, and you could smell the aroma of thick and creamy coconut milk that was absorbed with the rice. Not mentioning how ‘pulen’ (the softness) the rice grains were.
So good that I could just eat the rice only with the spicy peanut sauce by itself.
The fried chicken was blackened with tons of herbs and spices – tender and juicy with a hint of sweetness.
Oh! Don’t forget that ‘kremes’ (crunch flakes). The fried chicken truly complemented the Nasi Uduk.
By cooking limited portions of Nasi Uduk and side dishes, using fresh and good quality ingredients, you can be assured that the taste is very consistent.
In fact I had been patronizing her for almost 5 years now and trust me, I am never disappointed with her Nasi Uduk.
Compared to the rest of Nasi Uduk, Ibu Amah’s version is a few notches above the rest and definitely one of the best or should I say the best in the city?
(PS: If you need more food, walk inside to the back alley and buy Bihun Goreng (fried bee hoon) from her sister-in-law. Recommended as well, especially the spicy peanut sauce which is probably even tastier than Ibu Amah’s.)
Nasi Uduk Ibu Amah
Jl. Pengukiran II No. 6I, Pekojan, Jakarta Barat 11240, Indonesia
Tel: +6221 691 4356
Opening Hours: 4:00pm – 7:00pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun
Google Maps – Nasi Uduk Ibu Amah
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* Written by DFD͛’s Jakarta Food Correspondent @iknowhowtoeat who loves exploring NEW food places in both Indonesia and Singapore. DFD pays for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.
