Nasi Lemak
Fragrant coconut-milk rice served with a sweet-spicy sambal, crispy anchovies and peanuts, boiled egg, and cucumber — Malaysia's national dish. Rice and a spread of sides come together on one plate, loved from breakfast to dinner.
Ingredients
- Coconut rice
- Rice2 cups
- Coconut milk1 cup
- Water1 cup
- Pandan leaves · optional, knotted2
- Ginger · optional2 slices
- Salt1 tsp
- Sambal
- Dried chilies · soaked, or chili flakes10
- Shallot · or onion1
- Garlic3 cloves
- Belacan · shrimp paste, optional1 tsp
- Tamarind1 tbsp
- Sugar1 tbsp
- Oil3 tbsp
- To serve
- Fried anchovies · ikan bilis0.5 cup
- Roasted peanuts0.5 cup
- Boiled eggs2
- Cucumber · sliced0.5
Steps
- ⏲ 30 min
Rinse the rice and cook it with the coconut milk, water, salt, pandan, and ginger until fluffy.
- ⏲ 5 min
Sambal: blend the soaked chilies, shallot, garlic, and belacan into a paste.
- ⏲ 10 min
Fry the paste in oil over low heat, cooking it long until fragrant and the red oil separates.
- ⏲ 5 min
Add the tamarind, sugar, and salt and cook down to a thick, glossy sambal.
- ⏲ 5 min
Fry or toast the anchovies and peanuts separately until crisp.
- ⏲ 2 min
Mound the coconut rice on a plate and arrange the sambal, fried anchovies, peanuts, boiled egg, and cucumber around it.
Serve with fried chicken (ayam goreng) or rendang if you like.
Tips & Variations
Variations
- Nasi lemak ayam: Serve with fried chicken (ayam goreng).
- With rendang: Pair with beef rendang for a hearty plate.
- Banana-leaf wrapped: Wrap in banana leaf for extra aroma (traditional).
- Vegetarian: Skip the anchovies and use tofu or tempeh.
Tips
- Cook the rice in coconut milk for a rich, fragrant base; pandan adds aroma.
- Fry the sambal low and slow so it turns sweet-spicy with red oil.
- Toast the anchovies and peanuts until crisp for texture.
- The charm of nasi lemak is one plate balancing rice, sambal, and sides.
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