Nasi Lemak

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The National dish of Malaysia is called Nasi Lemak meaning “creamy rice.” This dish consists of rice cooked in coconut milk topped with a chili sauce and served with beans, cucumber, and boiled eggs. Traditionally it is served wrapped in banana leaves. Often served as a breakfast, it also makes a great meal for lunch or dinner too.

Ingredients

Creamy Rice

  • 400ml / 2 cups coconut milk

  • ½ inch piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped

  • ¼ tsp ground ginger

  • 1 lemongrass stalk

  • 1 Bay leaf

  • 350g / 1 ½ cups rice (Basmati or Long grain)

  • Salt

  • 14floz / 1 ¾ cups water

Sambal (Sweet Chili Sauce)

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil

  • 1 onion, thinly sliced

  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

  • 1 tsp shrimp paste

  • 1–2 tsp red chili paste

  • 250g / 1 cup dried anchovies, soaked in water and drained

  • 1 tbsp sugar

  • 250ml/1 cup tamarind paste mixed with 400ml/ 1 ½ cups water

Garnish

  • 4 eggs, hard boiled, peeled, and halved

  • 1 cup vegetable oil for frying

  • ½ cup dried white anchovies

  • 1 cup peanuts,

  • ½ cucumber, thinly sliced

Method

  1. Put the coconut milk, ginger, lemongrass, rice, water, and a pinch of salt in a large saucepan. Stir, and cook over a medium heat for 15–20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and all the liquid has been absorbed.

  2. To make the chili sauce, heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion and garlic for 5–7 minutes, until soft. Add the shrimp paste, chili paste, and most of the soaked anchovies and stir. Add the sugar and a pinch of salt and pour in the tamarind mixture. Simmer until it reduces to a thick paste. Set aside.

  3. In a large skillet or wok, heat 1 cup of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Deep-fry the dried white anchovies for 3 minutes, or until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels. Toast the peanuts in a dry frying pan.

  4. Pick the lemongrass and Bay leaf out of the rice and discard. Put the rice in a small bowl and press down until it is compacted. Upturn the rice in the middle of the plate or Banana/Pandam leaf. Serve the sweet chili sauce over the warm rice, with the peanuts, fried anchovies, cucumbers, and eggs on the side.