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Babakau: One-Pan Quick Version for 10
One-pan Babakau: quick, scalable version using chicken thighs, jasmine rice, coconut milk in a single pot.
Why this recipe works
This one-pan Babakau is designed for about 10 servings, using chicken thighs, jasmine rice, and coconut milk. It’s ideal for busy families or small gatherings and keeps prep minimal with a streamlined cooking method.
- Babakau recipe
- one-pan chicken rice
- crowd-friendly dinner
- turmeric coconut rice
- chicken thigh rice dish
- jasmine rice with chicken
- bulk meal prep chicken rice
Key takeaways
One-pot meal reduces cleanup and time.
Balanced flavors with turmeric, coconut milk, and fish sauce.
Adjust heat and salt to taste for best results.
Recipe guide
This one-pan Babakau is designed for about 10 servings, using chicken thighs, jasmine rice, and coconut milk. It’s ideal for busy families or small gatherings and keeps prep minimal with a streamlined cooking method.
A practical, crowd-friendly one-pan dinner you can make fast.
- One-pot meal reduces cleanup and time.
- Balanced flavors with turmeric, coconut milk, and fish sauce.
- Adjust heat and salt to taste for best results.
Overview
A compact, one-pan Babakau-style dish using 10 servings. It swaps in a quick browning step, then cooks rice and chicken together for ease and efficiency.
Prep & Cook Flow
1) Prep all ingredients. 2) Sauté onions, garlic, ginger, turmeric. 3) Brown chicken. 4) Stir in rice, liquids and seasonings. 5) Simmer covered until rice is tender and chicken is cooked. 6) Rest, fluff, garnish.
Serving & Adjustments
Serve with lime wedges and cilantro. If you’re short on time, reduce rice to 600 g per batch or use pre-cooked rice. Adjust salt and fish sauce to taste.
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg boneless chicken thighs, cut into 3 cm pieces
- 600 g jasmine rice, rinsed
- 800 ml coconut milk
- 1200 ml water
- 3 pcs medium onion, thinly sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 60 g fresh ginger, grated
- 30 g turmeric root or 2 tbsp ground turmeric
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
- 4 pcs kaffir lime leaves (optional)
- 3-4 pcs red chilies, sliced (adjust to taste)
- 2 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
- 2 pcs limes, cut into wedges (to serve)
Instructions
- Rinse rice until water runs clear and drain well.
- Cut chicken into 3 cm pieces and pat dry; season lightly with salt.
- Thinly slice onions, mince garlic, grate ginger, slice chilies, and chop cilantro.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 3–4 minutes.
- Add garlic, ginger and turmeric; cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add chicken pieces and brown briefly, 3–4 minutes, stirring to coat with spices.
- Stir in rinsed rice until coated with oil and spices, about 1 minute.
- Pour in coconut milk and water, then add fish sauce, palm sugar, kaffir lime leaves and sliced chilies; stir to combine.
- Bring mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low and cover tightly.
- Simmer undisturbed for 18–22 minutes, or until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through.
- Turn off heat and let rest, covered, for 5–10 minutes to steam.
- Fluff rice and chicken gently with a fork, taste and adjust salt or fish sauce if needed.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges on the side.
FAQs
Can I scale this up or down easily?
Yes. Keep the rice-to-liquid ratio consistent and adjust cooking time only slightly if you change batch size.
What if I don’t have coconut milk?
You can substitute with additional water plus a tablespoon of coconut extract or a small amount of cream to keep rich flavor.
How do I prevent rice from sticking?
Rinse the rice well, keep the pot covered during simmering, and let it rest off the heat before fluffing.