Start with the rice, as it forms the base of every parcel.

Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. This removes excess starch and helps the grains cook fluffy instead of sticky.

Place the rice in a pot and add enough water to cook it as you normally would. Add the pandan leaf, cloves, cinnamon, salt, and coconut oil directly to the pot. As the rice cooks, these aromatics slowly release their flavor into the grains.

Bring the pot to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and cook until the rice is tender and the liquid has absorbed. The finished rice should be fragrant and lightly seasoned, with separate grains rather than a sticky texture.

Once cooked, remove the whole spices if desired and set the rice aside.

While the rice is cooking, begin preparing the curry.

Heat a little oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until it begins to soften and turn slightly translucent. This step builds the base flavor of the curry.

Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for another minute until fragrant. Stir frequently so the aromatics do not burn.

Add the chicken pieces to the pan and cook briefly until they start to color slightly on the outside. Sprinkle in the spices and stir well so the chicken is evenly coated.

Pour in the coconut milk and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Lower the heat and let the curry cook slowly until the chicken becomes tender and the sauce thickens.

The curry should be rich and flavorful but not too watery, since it will be added to the rice parcels later.

Set the curry aside once ready.

Eggplant is an essential side component of lamprais and adds a soft, savory element.

Cut the eggplant into strips or slices. Sprinkle them with turmeric and salt, making sure the pieces are lightly coated.

You can cook the eggplant in two ways:

Frying: Heat oil in a pan and fry the eggplant until soft and golden.

Roasting: Toss the eggplant with a little oil and roast in the oven until tender.

Either method should produce eggplant that is fully cooked, slightly caramelized, and flavorful.

Set the cooked eggplant aside.

Lamprais typically includes a sharp or sweet condiment to balance the richness of the curry and rice.

You can prepare lunu miris, a spicy onion-chili sambol, if you want a traditional sharp and spicy flavor.

Alternatively, you can make a sweet caramelized onion sambol, where onions are slowly cooked until deep brown and sweet with spices.

Prepare whichever sambol you prefer and keep it ready for assembling the parcels.

Place the eggs in a pot and cover them with water.

Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and cook for about 8–10 minutes until the eggs are fully hard-boiled.

Once cooked, transfer the eggs to cold water to cool them down. Peel off the shells and cut each egg in half.

Set the egg halves aside for assembling the parcels.

Banana leaves can be slightly stiff when fresh, so they need to be softened before folding.

Cut the leaves into squares large enough to wrap the parcels. Briefly pass the leaves over a flame or dip them in hot water for a few seconds. This softens the fibers and prevents tearing when folding.

Lay the banana leaf squares flat on your work surface.

Place a generous scoop of the fragrant rice in the center of each banana leaf.

On top of the rice, add:

a portion of chicken curry

a spoon of eggplant

a spoon of sambol

half a boiled egg

Keep the filling centered so the leaf can fold easily.

Fold the Parcels

Fold the banana leaf around the filling to create a compact parcel.

Typically, the sides are folded inward first, then the top and bottom are folded over to seal the package. The goal is to create a neat, enclosed bundle that keeps the ingredients together.

Place the finished parcels seam-side down.

Steam or Bake the Parcels

Preheat the oven to 180°C if baking.

Arrange the parcels on a baking tray or in a steamer. Heat them for 15–20 minutes. During this time, the banana leaf warms and releases its aroma into the rice and curry while everything inside heats through.

This step allows the flavors to meld together.

Serve the lamprais hot and still wrapped in the banana leaf.