This is a blog post about cooking Nasi lemak (Malaysian coconut spicy rice) at home. Nasi lemak is a dish with origins from Malaysia. Its translation into English means Fat rice probably due to its coconut milk content in the rice. It is a classic street food dish seen as a takeaway street food normally for breakfast. Sometimes this takeaway package normally wraps in banana leaves and newspaper is eaten during lunchtime Who would think one would eat a savory spicy dish during breakfast but it very common occurrence in Asia.
There are a few components to this dish. Some add some variations to the dish just bulk it up. This will make it a more substantial dish. The most common simple or traditional nasi lemak usually consists of hard boil egg, anchovies, roasted peanuts, freshly cut cucumber, and sambal serve in coconut rice. However, there are many vendors that give a range of dishes to be added to this dish. The popular dishes are like stir fry Kang Kung/ water spinach (recipe link), chicken, beef, or pork curry and a fried egg.
Nasi Lemak
PREP TIME30 minsCOOK TIME15 minsCOURSEBreakfast, dinner, lunchCUISINEasian, MalaysianSERVINGS4 poeple
EQUIPMENT
- Rice cooker (optional)
- frying pan
- food processer/ blender or pestle and mortar
INGREDIENTS
Condiments
- 2 medium eggs
- 3-4 tbsp dried anchovies
- 3-4 tbsp raw peanuts
- 1 medium cucumber
Coconut Rice
- 100 grams thai long fragrant rice
- 1 small can coconut milk
- 2 pandan leaves
- 2 cm fresh ginger
- 1 stalk lemongrass
Spicy sambal
- 2-3 fresh red chilli depending how spicy you would like
- 1 medium brown onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp tamarind paste
- One tsp belacan or shrimp paste
- 1 lime (juice only)
- One medium fresh tomato optional
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
Nasi Lemak cooking INSTRUCTIONS
Cook the rice
- In pan or rice cooker wash and add the rice to the cooker or pot. Bruised the ginger, lemongrass and pandan leaves and add it together with the rice. Add the coconut milk and add extra water to balance out the liquid in order for the rice to cook. For the correct water amount to cook rice on rice cooker here is a link to it.
Cooking spicy sambal
- Peel the onion and garlic. Chop down the tomato. Grill the belacan/ shrimp paste so that it gives out the umami smell. Cut the stalk off the chili ad deseed if necessary. This so as to reduce the level of hotness in the chilies.In a blender, blend all the ingredients together. It is possible to serve the sambal raw. But if like pan fry it in oil till fragrant.
Prepare the condiments
- Boil the eggs and cut them into half. Cut the cucumber into half and then slice them. In a frying pan, a bit of cooking oil and fry the anchovies. If the anchovies are salty soak them in water, drain, and change the water till it is less salty. Then roast the peanuts on the frying pan.
Serving
- Once the rice is cook, scoop it out on a plate. Arrange the condiments and serve with spicy sambal.
Nasi Lemak
How to make this coconut fragrant rice dish that is serve with egg, chovies, peanuts, cucumber and spicy sambal
Condiments
- 2 medium eggs
- 3-4 tbsp dried anchovies
- 3-4 tbsp raw peanuts
- 1 medium cucumber
Coconut Rice
- 100 grams thai long fragrant rice
- 1 small can coconut milk
- 2 pandan leaves
- 2 cm fresh ginger
- 1 stalk lemongrass
Spicy sambal
- 2-3 fresh red chilli (depending how spicy you would like)
- 1 medium brown onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp tamarind paste
- One tsp belacan or shrimp paste
- 1 lime (juice only)
- One medium fresh tomato (optional)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
Cook the rice
In pan or rice cooker wash and add the rice to the cooker or pot. Bruised the ginger, lemongrass and pandan leaves and add it together with the rice. Add the coconut milk and add extra water to balance out the liquid in order for the rice to cook. For the correct water amount to cook rice on rice cooker here is a link to it.
Cooking spicy sambal
Peel the onion and garlic. Chop down the tomato. Grill the belacan/ shrimp paste so that it gives out the umami smell. Cut the stalk off the chili ad deseed if necessary. This so as to reduce the level of hotness in the chilies.
In a blender, blend all the ingredients together. It is possible to serve the sambal raw. But if like pan fry it in oil till fragrant.
Prepare the condiments
Boil the eggs and cut them into half. Cut the cucumber into half and then slice them. In a frying pan, a bit of cooking oil and fry the anchovies. If the anchovies are salty soak them in water, drain, and change the water till it is less salty. Then roast the peanuts on the frying pan.
Serving
Once the rice is cook, scoop it out on a plate. Arrange the condiments and serve with spicy sambal.
