Learn how to make this traditional Malay lemang using rice cooker, Instant Pot pressure cooker, or on the stove. You don't need bamboo tubes to cook lemang.
Soak glutinous rice in water for at least 4 hours or overnight
Drain off the water after that. Oil a large tray on the bottom and sides to prevent sticking. Bring the water in the steamer to a boil. Place glutinous rice in a large tray, pour the coconut milk, add salt, and sugar and stir to combine. Put knotted pandan leaves on top and slightly push it into the rice
Put the tray in the steamer and steam over high heat for 30 minutes. Check on the water level and refill as necessary and steam until the rice is soft
Then fluff the rice with a fork and let the rice cools down completely before wrapping
If cooking with rice cooker:
Soak glutinous rice in water for at least 4 hours or overnight
If cooking with a rice cooker, place glutinous rice in the inner pot of the rice cooker, pour the coconut milk, add salt, and sugar and stir to combine. Put knotted pandan leaves on top and slightly push it into the rice
If your rice cooker has a "sticky rice/sweet rice/glutinous rice" function, press that button, otherwise, just press cook and depending on your rice cooker, you may need two cycles for the glutinous rice to be cooked through. Wait for 10 minutes and then fluff the rice with a fork and let the rice cools down completely before wrapping
If cooking with Instant Pot pressure cooker:
You don't need to soak the rice. Simply rinse the rice in water and then drain off water
Fill up the inner pot of Instant Pot with 1 cup of water. Put a trivet in there. Oil a round tray (6-inch fits perfectly into 6-quart IP) on the bottom and sides to prevent sticking. Place glutinous rice in a large tray, pour the coconut milk, add salt, and sugar and stir to combine. Put knotted pandan leaves on top and slightly push it into the rice
Secure the lid. Turn the steam release valve to sealing. Press "pressure cooker" and make sure it's on high pressure, and set the timer to 30 minutes and then natural release. Carefully unlock the lid, remove the pandan leaves and fluff the rice. Let the rice cools down completely before wrapping
Wrapping:
Thaw the banana leaves if they are frozen. Wipe them clean. If the leaves are too rigid, you can soften them on the stove over the fire. Cut the leaves into about 20 x 20 cm square.
Scoop about 200-250 grams (roughly about 1 cup) of rice on the leaves, make sure the veins/lines of the leaves are parallel to you. Put a piece of parchment paper on top of the rice to help you shape the rice by pressing to really "compact" the rice into a nice and tight, thick roll
You can also use a sushi mat to help you shape and tighten the roll if you have experience with rolling sushi
Once you get a nice roll, roll the banana leaves up and secure both ends with toothpicks. Continue with the rest of the banana leaves and rice
Bake in the oven or grill on the pan:
If using oven, preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Arrange lemang on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake for about 15 minutes, just enough to bring the fragrance of banana leaves
If grilling on the pan, preheat the pan over high heat and arrange lemang pieces on the pan and grill until lightly charred, for about 3-5 minutes each side
To serve:
Let lemang cools down completely before slicing. Simply remove the wrap and then slice into about 1-inch thick slices and serve with your favorite rendang or curry dish