Nasi Kerabu: How to Eat Kelantan’s Famous Blue Rice

Rice tinted blue with flowers, a heap of fresh herbs, coconut, salted egg and a splash of fermented fish sauce: how to eat nasi kerabu, the signature breakfast of Kelantan.

The first time you see nasi kerabu, it is the colour that stops you: rice of a soft sky blue, piled on a plate beside shredded herbs, golden crackers and grilled chicken. This is the best-known dish of Kelantan, the state in the far north-east of Peninsular Malaysia, on the border with Thailand, and it is also eaten across neighbouring Terengganu. In September 2025, Malaysia’s Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry listed nasi kerabu among 213 dishes recognised as National Heritage under the National Heritage Act 2005, Bernama reported.

Why the Rice Is Blue

The colour is natural. Cooks soak or boil the dried flowers of the butterfly pea (bunga telang in Malay, Clitoria ternatea), a climbing plant grown in many village gardens, and use the blue water to cook the rice. Tourism Malaysia describes it as “vibrant blue rice infused with butterfly pea flowers”. The flower adds colour rather than strong flavour, so the taste of the dish comes from everything around it. In Malay cooking, kerabu refers to a kind of salad of raw herbs and vegetables, and that is the other half of the plate.

What Is on the Plate

Every stall has its own mix, but Tourism Malaysia and Bernama describe a classic plate like this:

• Ulam: a heap of finely shredded fresh herbs, leaves and vegetables, such as bean sprouts, long beans and wild leaves. Tourism Malaysia calls them “fresh and fragrant foraged wild greens”.
• Coconut: grated coconut, often toasted, and a coconut sambal (sambal kelapa).
• Salted egg and fish crackers (keropok) for crunch.
• Budu: a pungent fermented anchovy sauce from Kelantan and Terengganu, usually mixed with chilli, shallots and lime. Add a little at a time.
• Solok lada: large green chillies stuffed with a fish and coconut filling.
• Something grilled or fried: traditionally ayam percik (chicken grilled with a spiced coconut sauce) or grilled beef, or fried fish or chicken.

How to Eat It

Locals often eat nasi kerabu for breakfast, says Tourism Malaysia. Mix a little of everything into each mouthful: rice, herbs, coconut and a drizzle of budu. Many Malaysians eat it with the right hand; spoons and forks are always available. Portions are generous, and a plate is usually served on a sheet of paper or banana leaf at market stalls.

The dish keeps changing, too. In March 2025, Bernama reported on a Kelantan stall drawing long queues for nasi kerabu served with grilled beef fat, a twist on the traditional grilled meat. Other versions use rice coloured with different leaves and flowers, so you may see white, yellow or darker rice served the same way.

• Go early. As a breakfast dish, nasi kerabu is at its best, and widest choice, in the morning.
• Point and choose. At most stalls you pick your rice, then point to the side dishes you want; the price depends on what you add.
• Ask about spice. Sambal and budu can be fiery. It is fine to ask for them on the side.
• Vegetarian? The rice and herbs are meat-free, but the sambal, budu and fish filling are not.

Part of a Bigger Heritage Table

Nasi kerabu is the most famous of a whole family of Kelantan dishes now protected as National Heritage. When the ministry announced the 213 recognised dishes in September 2025, it named several other Kelantan favourites alongside it: budu, solok lada, the little egg cakes called akok, and kuih jala emas, sweet golden threads made from egg yolk. The announcement came at the Citarasa Warisan @ Pantai Timur (East Coast Heritage Flavours) festival in Kota Bharu, which showcased more than 150 heritage dishes from Kelantan’s ten districts.

It is worth knowing the difference between nasi kerabu and nasi ulam, which Tourism Malaysia also lists among Kelantan’s must-try dishes. Nasi ulam is plain rice served with a medley of finely chopped herbs and crispy fried fish, while nasi kerabu brings blue rice with the herbs heaped beside it.

Where to Try It

The best place is Kota Bharu, the capital of Kelantan. Tourism Malaysia notes that there is even a “Zon Nasi Kerabu” in the city dedicated to the dish. Kota Bharu has flights from Kuala Lumpur, and the East Coast Rail Link is due to reach it; see our ECRL guide. Outside Kelantan, nasi kerabu is sold at Ramadan bazaars, food courts and Malay restaurants across the country, including Kuala Lumpur.

Have you tried nasi kerabu? Are you a budu fan? Tell us in the comments below.

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