KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 -- Lontong isn't pretty food that will help an influencer get more likes but once you look deeply at each element in the dish, that perceived ugliness becomes sought after.

Inside Uncle D Seafood & Grill, you will find this stall that serves the true Javanese version of lontong, completely unlike those that use hard pieces of compressed rice (nasi impit).

Your first clue that you're in the right place is their glutinous rice, which is cut into large pieces from a cylinder and tinged green from the chlorophyll leaked from the banana leaf wrapper.

The grains are softer from the steaming, allowing them to absorb some of the coconut milk broth which is tinged with just the right amount of turmeric to a light yellow hu...