Thai Blue Rice (Khao Dok Anchan) with Butterfly Pea
Fragrant jasmine rice tinted a stunning natural blue with butterfly pea flowers — the signature base of Malay nasi kerabu and a showstopping side for any Southeast Asian meal.
Blue rice is one of the most iconic uses of butterfly pea flower in Southeast Asian cooking. By steeping the dried flowers and using that vivid infusion as cooking liquid, ordinary jasmine rice transforms into a soft, dreamy blue — the foundation of Malaysia's beloved nasi kerabu and Thailand's khao dok anchan.
The flavor stays gentle: butterfly pea adds barely any taste, just a faint earthiness, so the rice remains a clean, fragrant canvas. The drama is entirely in the color, which deepens or softens depending on how strong you brew the flowers and how much you use.
Serve it the traditional way — fluffed and mounded alongside fresh herbs, shredded vegetables, grilled fish or chicken, and a squeeze of lime. That citrus does something delightful: where lime touches the rice, the blue blushes toward violet, a quiet echo of the same chemistry that makes butterfly pea tea change color.
This is a forgiving recipe and an easy way to impress. Make the blue infusion ahead of time, and from there it's just rice cooked as usual. The result looks like it belongs at a festival table yet comes together with everyday pantry staples.
Ingredients
- 2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed
- 20–25 dried butterfly pea flowers (or 2 tbsp)
- 2 1/2 cups water (for cooking the rice)
- 1 cup hot water (to brew the flowers)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp coconut oil or neutral oil
- 1 pandan leaf, knotted (optional)
- Lime wedges, to serve
- Fresh herbs and shredded vegetables, to serve
How to make it
- 1Steep the dried butterfly pea flowers in 1 cup hot water for 8–10 minutes until the liquid is deep blue. Strain out the flowers and discard them.
- 2Combine the blue infusion with enough additional water to total 2 1/2 cups of cooking liquid. Stir in the salt and oil.
- 3Add the rinsed jasmine rice and the knotted pandan leaf (if using) to a pot or rice cooker, then pour in the blue liquid.
- 4Cook as you normally would — bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low for about 15 minutes, then rest off the heat for 10 minutes.
- 5Fluff gently with a fork; the grains should be a soft, even blue.
- 6Serve mounded with fresh herbs, shredded vegetables, and lime wedges. Squeeze lime over portions to watch the blue blush toward purple.
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