Nasi Lemak
Nasi Lemak is a fragrant rice dish cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaves, traditionally served with a spicy sambal, crispy anchovies, roasted peanuts, a hard-boiled egg, and cucumber slices. It's a beloved Malaysian breakfast, lunch, or dinner that offers a delightful balance of flavors and textures.
An original recipe by Forkin
- Total time
- 1 hr 15 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Per serving
- 1,388 kcal
Allergen information: may contain crustaceans, eggs, fish, nuts, and peanuts. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.
Mise en place
Ingredients
Converted for display; the recipe amounts stay equivalent.
rice
- 2.5 cupjasmine rice, rinsed
- 400 mlcoconut milk
- 0.5 cupwater
- 2 pcspandan leaf, knotted
- 15 gginger, sliced
- 0.5 tspsalt
garnish
- 0.5 cupdried anchovy
- 0.5 cuppeanut, roasted
- 1 pcscucumber, sliced
- 4 pcsegg, hard-boiled
sambal
- 4 pcsshallot, sliced
- 3 clovegarlic, minced
- 10 pcsdried red chili, soaked and deseeded
- 3 pcsfresh red chili, roughly chopped(optional)
- 0.5 tspbelacan, toasted
- 1 tbsptamarind paste
- 1 tbsppalm sugar
- 0.5 cupcooking oil
frying
- 1 cupfrying oil
Equipment
wok · rice cooker · slotted spoon · food processor · pan
The method
Step by step
- 1
Rinse the jasmine rice thoroughly until the water runs clear, then drain well.
About 5 min
- 2
Combine the rinsed rice, coconut milk, water, knotted pandan leaves, sliced ginger, and salt in a rice cooker or heavy-bottomed pot.
About 2 min
- 3
Cook the rice according to your rice cooker's instructions or bring to a boil in a pot, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until all liquid is absorbed.
About 20 min
Cook’s note: Do not lift the lid while the rice is cooking.
- 4
Once cooked, turn off the heat and let the rice steam, covered, for another 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
About 10 min
- 5
Heat frying oil in a wok or deep pan over medium heat.
About 2 min
- 6
Fry the dried anchovies until golden and crispy, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate.
About 3 min
Cook’s note: Be careful not to burn the anchovies, as they can quickly turn bitter.
- 7
In a food processor or mortar and pestle, blend or pound the shallots, garlic, dried red chilies, fresh red chilies (if using), and toasted belacan into a fine paste for the sambal.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: For a smoother paste, add a splash of cooking oil during blending.
- 8
Heat cooking oil in a clean pan or wok over medium heat.
About 1 min
- 9
Add the prepared sambal paste and sauté until fragrant and the oil separates, about 10-15 minutes.
About 15 min
Cook’s note: Stir frequently to prevent burning.
- 10
Stir in the tamarind paste and palm sugar to the sambal, cooking for another 2-3 minutes until the sugar is dissolved and the sambal is well combined.
About 3 min
Cook’s note: Adjust sugar and tamarind to taste for your desired balance of sweet and sour.
- 11
To serve, place a mound of fragrant coconut rice on a plate. Arrange the crispy anchovies, roasted peanuts, hard-boiled eggs, and cucumber slices around it.
About 2 min
- 12
Spoon a generous amount of the homemade sambal alongside the rice.
Per serving
Nutrition
- Calories
- 1,387.6kcal
- Protein
- 27.7g
- Carbs
- 147.8g
- Fat
- 81.4g
- Fibre
- 6.5g
- Sugar
- 12.3g
Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.
Keep it good
Store leftover Nasi Lemak components separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
Reheat the rice and sambal gently in a microwave or on the stovetop. Anchovies and peanuts are best re-crisped in a dry pan or eaten at room temperature.
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