Nasi Lemak

Name: Nasi Lemak
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Malaysian
Ingredients: 2 cups Jasmine Rice, rinsed; 250ml Coconut Milk; 350ml Water; 3 leaves of Pandan Leaf, tied in a knot; 1 stalk of Lemongrass, bruised; 3 slices of Ginger; 1 tsp Salt; 13 Dried Red Chilies, seeded and soaked; 8 Small Shallots, peeled; 4 cloves of Garlic; 1 tsp Belacan, toasted; 1 Onion, sliced; 1 tbsp Tamarind Paste; 3 tbsp Water, for tamarind paste; 2 tbsp Palm Sugar; 1 tsp Salt; 4 tbsp Neutral Oil; 100g Dried Anchovies (Ikan Bilis), rinsed and patted dry; 100g Raw Peanuts; 4 Large Eggs; 1 Cucumber, thinly sliced; 250ml Neutral Oil, for frying

Nasi Lemak is a fragrant Malaysian classic: tender coconut-scented rice served with a punchy, sweet-spicy sambal, crunchy fried anchovies and peanuts, boiled egg and cooling cucumber slices. It's comforting, aromatic and balanced — perfect for a hearty breakfast or a satisfying meal any time of day.

Nasi Lemak is a fragrant Malaysian classic: tender coconut-scented rice served with a punchy, sweet-spicy sambal, crunchy fried an... Show more

Traditional Malaysian Recipe

Health Grade

B · Healthy

Rating

4.7

Time

55 min

Price

2,21 €

Calories

981 kcal

meal prep

gluten free

high protein

low sugar

Method

Soak the chilies

Split open the Dried Red Chilies if needed, shake out the seeds, and cover them with hot Water. Let them soak for 15 minutes until they are soft enough to blend. While they soak, toast the Belacan in a dry pan for 1 minute until fragrant, then peel the Small Shallots and Garlic, and slice the Onion if it isn’t already sliced. Drain the chilies well before blending so the sambal stays thick.

Blend the sambal

Tip the soaked chilies, toasted belacan, shallots, garlic, and onion into a blender with a splash of the soaking water. Blend to a coarse, thick paste, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides so everything stays even. You want a little texture here, not a perfectly smooth puree.

Cook the sambal

Heat 4 tbsp of the Neutral Oil in a wok or saucepan over medium heat. Add the sambal paste and fry, stirring often, for 8 minutes until it smells rich and turns a shade darker. Stir in the Tamarind Paste mixed with 3 tbsp of water, the Palm Sugar, and the Salt, then cook for 10 minutes more until the sambal is glossy, thick, and the oil starts to separate around the edges.

Cook the rice

Rinse the Jasmine Rice until the water runs mostly clear, then drain it well. Bruise the Lemongrass with the back of a knife and tie the Pandan Leaf into a knot. In a pot or rice cooker, combine the rice, the Coconut Milk, 350 ml of water, the lemongrass, pandan, Ginger, and the salt. Bring it up to a gentle boil, cover, turn the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave it covered for 10 minutes so the rice finishes steaming, then fluff gently and remove the aromatics.

Fry the toppings

Heat 250 ml of oil in a deep skillet or small pot over medium heat. Pat the Dried Anchovies very dry if needed. Fry the Raw Peanuts for 4 minutes until golden, lift them out, then fry the anchovies for 3 minutes until crisp and lightly browned. Drain both on paper towels and let them cool for a minute so they stay crunchy.

Boil the eggs

Place the Large Eggs in a saucepan and cover them with water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 9 minutes for firm whites and set yolks. Move the eggs to cold water, let them cool for a few minutes, peel them, and cut them in half.

Assemble nasi lemak

Thinly slice the Cucumber if needed. Spoon the coconut rice onto plates, make a small well in the center, and spoon the sambal on top or alongside. Arrange the fried anchovies, peanuts, egg halves, and cucumber around the rice, then serve while everything is still warm and fragrant.