Nasi Lemak (Steamed Coconut Rice)

Finally, the long awaited recipe!After the lunch yesterday, I come to realize that it’s definitely worth the effort in making this national dish of Malaysia. Having to finally try out the most-talked about Nasi Lemak in town, I was left with disappointment. Not only it’s over-priced, it’s also over-hyped! Like what my hubs said the rice is not fragrant enough. 

And being such a Nasi Lemak lover, the most important part of what makes a great Nasi Lemak is definitely the rice followed by the sambal. So don’t sting with the pandan leaves, it’s the key ingredient along with the coconut milk in making this yummy rice dish. 

(Serves 4) 
You Need 
 4 cups rice (preferably Basmati rice), washed and drained in a colander
5 cups coconut milk (2 grated coconut milk mixed with about 3 cups of water) or if you couldn’t find fresh coconut milk you may use 1 canned or packet of coconut milk.
3-4 screwpine leaves (pandan leaves) washed and tied into a knot
1 onion, quartered
salt to taste
1 cinnamon stick, optional
4 cloves, optional

Condiments
6 hardboiled eggs, halved ( I know this recipe serves 4 but because I love to eat my Nasi Lemak with hardboiled eggs, so I cooked extra)
1 cup ikan bilis (dried anchovies) washed  

How To

1. Like how you usually would cook rice using a rice cooker, just pour in the coconut milk and mix with the rice well along with the other ingredients. There is an old wives tales that you should never lift the lid to check when the rice is cooking otherwise the rice won’t come out right but if you are a daredevil go ahead just to make sure there’s enough liquid. Once it’s cooked, just fluff the rice slightly and set aside. 

2. Fry the ikan bilis until crisp and serve with the steaming hot Nasi Lemak along with Sambal Ikan Bilis, Kangkung Belacan, Ayam Goreng Berempah, and hardboiled eggs.

The vegetable dish here is not kangkung belacan but stir-fry pea sprouts because I didn’t have kangkung in the fridge.

  Clockwise from the top ; Kangkung Belacan, Ikan Bilis, Sambal, Hardboiled Eggs

Cooking tutorials Note
If the rice is undercooked or wet, you can steam the rice.  

Coming up tomorrow, a recipe requested by a reader from Melbourne