Burasa

Burasa is a traditional rice cake hailing from the Bugis Muslim community in Makassar. The rice cake is made from rice that's cooked in coconut milk. It seems simple, but burasa is actually cooked twice, first in heavy coconut milk with a bit of salt until the rice absorbs all the liquid. It's then wrapped in banana leaves, shaped into rectangles, tied with a string and boiled for four more hours. The rice cake is a holiday dish and it's always prepared for Idul Fitri. It's served with beef, chicken, or fish, whether cooked in gravy or fried. In Makassar, it's typically served with ayam nasu lekku, a spicy chicken dish.