Burasa

Burasa (pronounced ['bu:rasaʔ]), also known as burasak or buras, is a rice dumpling from the Bugis people, made by cooking rice in coconut milk and wrapping it in a banana leaf pouch. It resembles lontong but has a richer taste due to the coconut milk. This dish is a specialty of the Bugis and Makassar communities in South Sulawesi, and it is also common among the Bugis diaspora in the Malaysian states of Johor, Selangor, Sabah, and Sarawak. It often serves as a staple in place of steamed rice or ketupat, and pairs well with a rich chicken dish braised with galangal (known as *ayam masak lengkuas* in Malay or *likku*/*lekku* in Buginese).

To prepare burasa, rice is first steamed until half-cooked, then cooked further in coconut milk seasoned with *daun salam* (Indonesian bay leaf) and salt until all the liquid is absorbed. The partially cooked rice is then wrapped in banana leaves into cylindrical or pillow shapes, tied with string—often made from banana leaf fibers—with two cylinders typically bound together. These packages are steamed again until fully cooked.

In Indonesia, burasa can be eaten as a snack with *serundeng* (spiced shredded coconut), hard-boiled egg, or *sambal kacang* (spicy peanut sauce). Bugis and Makassar people often eat it as a substitute for steamed rice or ketupat, commonly alongside *coto Makassar*, *konro*, *pallubasa*, or *lekku*. It is also frequently taken as travel provisions or rations during sailing trips.