Nasi Lemak (Malaysia)

I cook this nasi lemak every weekend and serve with prawn or squid sambal, sliced cucumber and hard boiled egg. Sometimes fried chicken or beef rendang. Sprinkle sliced Chinese celery, spring onion, and fried shallot before serving.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 60 mins
• Calories: 798 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• salt to taste
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 ¾ cups water
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3 shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut cream
• 1 (1/2 inch) piece fresh ginger, minced
• 1 tablespoon shrimp paste
• 1 teaspoon salt to taste
• 2 cups uncooked basmati rice, rinsed and drained
• 1 (3/4 inch thick) slice fresh ginger root, thinly sliced
• 6 shallots, chopped
• 15 dried red chile peppers, or to taste
• ½ cup tamarind juice

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Bring the rice, water, sliced shallots, coconut cream, ginger, and salt to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, and the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, place the chopped shallots, dried chile peppers, minced ginger, and shrimp paste in a blender and process to a thick paste.

Step 2

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir chile paste until fragrant. Stir in sugar, tamarind juice, and salt, then toss in onion and shrimp and simmer until shrimp are bright pink on the outside and the meat is no longer transparent in the center, about 5 minutes. Serve over the hot rice.