NASI LEMAK

Nasi Lemak is a fragrant rice dish cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf and commonly found in Malaysia, where it is considered the national dish. The difference between a good nasi lemak and an exceptionally marvelous nasi lemak lies int the use of pandan leaves. Possessing highly fragrant floral smell, these leaves are used abundantly in Malaysian cuisine to infuse rice dishes or desserts with the signature aroma. The other main ingredient of nasi lemak is dried anchovies or locally call as ikan bilis. As sambal is of the essence when making nasi lemak, it is deserves to  be prepared in the traditional way that is with mortar and pestle. Here, I share to all of you the recipes to make nasi lemak.

INGREDIENTS :1 cup of rice (washed and drained)
2 cup coconut milk
1 pandan leave (tie in a knot)
1/4 teaspoon salt

INGREDIENTS (SAMBAL)1/2 red onion
1 cup of anchovies
1 clove garlic
4 shallots
10 dried chillies
1 teaspoon of belacan
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of sugar
a little bit of tamarind juice

GARNISHING:2 hard boiled eggs (cut into half)
fried anchovies
1 small cucumber (cut into slices and then quartered)

METHOD OF PREPARATION: (2-3 servings)- Wash and rinse your rice and drain. Add the coconut milk, a pinch of salt, and some water. Add pandan leave into the rice and cook your rice.
-Rinse the anchovies and drain the water. Fry it until they turn into light brown and put aside.
-Pound the shrimp paste together with shallots, garlic and deseeded dried chillies with a mortar and pestle or blender.
-Slice the red onion into rings.
-Heat some oil in a pan and fry the spice until fragrant.
-Add onion rings.
-Add anchovies and stir well.
-Add tamarind juice, salt and sugar.
-Simmer on low heat until the gravy become thickens. Set aside.

*serve with anchovies, cucumber slices and hard boil eggs.

GOOD LUCK !