The national dish of Malaysia, nasi lemak - which loosely translates to rich or fragrant rice thanks to the coconut milk used when making the rice - is a widely popular dish across Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, traditionally served for breakfast on a banana leaf at market stalls. Every bite is complete with different textures (crunchy and soft) and all the right flavours - umami, sweetness, and spice from the sambal, salty from the ikan bilis (fried anchovies), richness from the coconut and pandan infused rice. There are so many different variations of nasi lemaks and new trending ones coming out recently that take slight variations of protein choices and rice infusions, but we chose to keep it simple and give you the traditional nasi lemak with coconut milk rice, eggs, ikan bilis, peanuts, cucumber, and of course, sambal. Let us know what you think by leaving a comment below!
Recommendations: pair with your favourite protein - fried chicken, shrimp, fried mushrooms, grilled or fried fish.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups jasmine rice
- 1½ cups coconut milk
- 1½ cups water
- 3 pandan leaves (knotted)
- 1 stalk lemongrass (smashed)
- 1 inch of ginger
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions:
Rice:
1. Wash the rice 2–3 times until the water runs clear. Drain well.
2. In a rice cooker or pot, combine rice, coconut milk, water, pandan leaves, ginger, lemongrass and salt.
3. Stir well and cook as usual. If using a pot, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and steam for 15 minutes with the lid on. Let it rest for another 10 minutes before serving.
Ikan Bilis/Fried Anchovies
Ingredients:
• ½ cup dried anchovies (ikan bilis)
• Cooking oil for frying
Instructions:
1. Heat oil to 170°C in a deep pan.
2. Fry the dried anchovies until golden brown and crispy.
3. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Fried Peanuts
Ingredients:
• ½ cup red peanuts (with skin)
• Cooking oil for frying
Instructions:
1. Heat oil to 150°C in a deep pan.
2. Fry the peanuts, stirring occasionally, until they turn golden dark brown.
3. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Fried Egg / Hard-Boiled Egg
Fried Egg:
• Heat a little oil in a pan and fry eggs to your preferred doneness.
Hard-Boiled Egg:
• Boil eggs in water for 8 minutes, then transfer to cold water and peel.
Additional Condiments:
• Amma's Malaysian Sambal
• Sliced cucumber (For freshness and crunch)
How to Serve:
1. Place a serving of fragrant coconut rice on a plate.
2. Arrange the fried anchovies, fried peanuts, egg, sambal, and cucumber slices on the side.