Nasi lemak is Malaysian coconut rice served with hot chile sauce, fried anchovies, fried peanuts, sliced cucumber or tomato, and hard-boiled egg.
Preparation Time
30 mins
Cooking Time
30 mins
Total Time
60 mins
Calories
578 Calories
Recipe Instructions
Step 1
Make the rice: Stir coconut milk, water, rice, fresh ginger, ground ginger, bay leaf, and salt together in a medium saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Discard bay leaf and keep rice warm until garnish and sauce are ready.
Step 2
While the rice is cooking, make the garnish: Heat 1 cup vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in peanuts and cook briefly, until lightly browned. Remove peanuts with a slotted spoon and place onto paper towels to soak up excess grease.
Step 3
Return the skillet to the stove. Stir in anchovies and cook, turning occasionally, until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels. Discard oil and wipe out the skillet.
Step 4
Make the sauce: Heat oil in the clean skillet. Stir in onion, shallots, and garlic; cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Mix in chile paste and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally; if mixture is too dry, add water as needed. Stir in anchovies and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in tamarind juice, sugar, and salt; simmer until sauce is thick, about 5 minutes.
Step 5
Ladle warm rice into bowls. Top with warm sauce, then top with peanuts, fried anchovies, hard-boiled eggs, and cucumber.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups water
salt to taste
2 cups coconut milk
1 cup oil for frying
1 medium onion, sliced
2 teaspoons chile paste
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon water, or more as needed
2 cups long grain rice, rinsed and drained
1 (1/2 inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
