Rice is the staple food of Indonesian people. No wonder, there are many various kinds of menus made of rice in Indonesia. There is liwet rice cooked with spices. Yellow rice in Java and Bali is distinctive with its yellow color from turmeric. And in North Kalimantan, there is Subut Rice. Unlike other rice menu, Subut Rice is bright purple in color due to the use of sweet potato.
Subut Rice is made from rice cooked with purple yam and corn. The sweetness of the purple sweet potato and corn blends with the savories of the rice. Subut Rice reflects the local wisdom of the people of Tana Tidung Regency, North Kalimantan, who utilize ingredients such as purple sweet potato and sweet corn that are abundant there. This rice variant is often served at traditional events or celebrations.
Subut Rice is usually served with stingray satay. Before being processed into satay, the stingray meat is soaked first with lime juice to remove the fishy odor. After that, the fish is cleaned, seasoned and grilled until cooked. Along with Subut Rice, sate pari is also served with a dipping sauce made from tomatoes, shallots, sugar and salt. The savory-sweet combination of Subut Rice and sate pari is addictive.