Malaysian Must: Make This Authentic Nasi Lemak Recipe
Malaysian cuisine is undoubtedly one of the most underrated in Asia and indeed the rest of the world.
Most of us know about how good Thai, Vietnamese and Indian food is because there are so many restaurants showcasing theses cuisines in the west. However, it’s quite rate to have any restaurants that are quintessentially Malaysian. This is a shame, because Malaysia is a very multicultural country that was built largely on the trading of spices from Asia to Europe, and this is certainly reflected in its cuisine.
One of the best things about Malaysian cuisine is how culturally diverse it is. There are many culinary traditions that co-exist in Malaysia, such as Indian, Chinese and traditional Malay, so there are so many choices when it comes to dining.
Sometimes the Indian curries or Chinese dishes will be authentic to how they would be served in their home countries and other times they have a little twist to them to suit local tastes. This creates interesting cross-cultural food mashups that are unique to this part of the world.
One of the things that I loved about dining in Malaysia is that often food would be served in a banana leaf. For example, a typical South Indian dish that you will find in Malaysia is rice served inside a banana leaf with vegetables and curried meat or fish. I loved eating from banana leaves, no matter what the dish was inside! The customary way to eat this is with your hands, with a bowl of water to dip your fingers in to keep them moist so that the rice doesn’t stick to them. Eating out of a banana leaf with your hands is so much fun and is something that everyone should try at least once.
Nasi Lemak
I think this has to be my favourite Malaysian food, hands down. It is considered the “national dish” of Malaysia and it is commonly eaten all throughout the day – even at breakfast. The name means “rich” or “creamy” rice – because the rice is soaked in coconut cream before it is cooked. As the rice is cooking, you can throw in lemon grass, ginger and pandan leaves to give it more flavour.
Malaysian Must: An Authentic Nasi Lemak Recipe
Prep Time: 40 minutes.
Cook Time: 1 hour.
Level of Difficulty: Easy.
Serving Size: 6
Ingredients
Coconut Rice
- 3 cups basmati rice
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- 2 pandan leaves, tied into a knot
- 3 cups coconut milk
- 1 1/2 cups water
Fried Peanuts and Anchovies
- 2/3 cup peanut or canola oil
- 1 cup raw peanuts with skin on
- 1 1/2 cups dried anchovies, washed and drained
Anchovy Sambal
- 6 tablespons Sambal Ulek
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
- 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- 4 shallots, peeled and cut in half
- 3/4 cup water
- 6 tablespoons peanut oil
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste
- 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons Tamarind water, or 2 tablespoons tamarind liquid concentrate
Accompaniments
- 6 banana leaves (12 by 9 inches each), cleaned
- 1/2 small cucumber, sliced
- 3 hard-boiled eggs, cut in half
Directions for the nasi lemak
- Prepare the coconut rice: Wash the rice by gently rubbing it with your fingers in a bowl filled with water. When the water becomes cloudy, drain the water and repeat the process until the water is clear. Place the rice in a large saucepan and add the salt, garlic, ginger, pandan leaves, coconut milk, and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then simmer, uncovered, until steam holes appear in the rice and the surface looks dry, about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and cook, without stirring, until all the coconut milk is absorbed and the grains are tender and fluffy, about 20 minutes more. (Alternatively, you can cook all the ingredients in a rice cooker.) When the rice is done, discard the garlic, ginger, and pandan leaves and stir the rice.
- Meanwhile, fry the peanuts and anchovies: Heat the oil in a wok or skillet over medium-low heat. When the oil shimmers, add the peanuts and cook until they turn brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the peanuts with a slotted spoon to a paper towel to drain.
- Next, carefully add the dried anchovies and stir-fry, moving the anchovies back and forth, until golden brown and crispy, about 7 minutes. Transfer the anchovies to a paper towel. Discard the oil. Set aside half of the anchovies to serve with rice and use the other half for the sambal.
- Prepare the anchovy sambal: Blend the sambal ulek, garlic, ginger, shallots, and ¼ cup water in a blender to a smooth paste with the consistency of applesauce. Heat the oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the sambal paste, salt, and sugar and stir-fry until fragrant and the oils separate onto the surface, about 10 minutes. Add the onion and cook until the onion is soft, another 5 minutes. Add the tamarind water and remaining ½ cup water and mix well to combine with the paste. Now add half the crispy anchovies and allow to cook for 5 minutes. Taste the sambal and add more sugar or salt if needed; you want a balanced sweet-salty taste. Turn off the heat.
- To serve, line each diner’s plate with a banana leaf. Place about 1 cup of the cooked coconut rice in the middle of the leaf. (If you like, press the rice into a bowl first and then invert it onto the plate for a neat domed shape.) Put about 3 tablespoons of the anchovy sambal on top of the rice. Place a few sliced cucumbers, half of a hard-boiled egg, and finally 1 tablespoon each of the peanuts and fried anchovies around the rice. Serve warm.
Reprinted with permission from The Malaysian Kitchen
While you are in Malaysia, make sure that you try as many new foods as possible. However, I must warn you – you will still experience cravings for those great tastes long after you have arrived back home. Have you visited Malaysia? What was your favourite food that you ate there? Tell us about it in the comments below.
