NASI LEMAK

Nasi lemak is a Malay fragrant rice dish cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf. It is commonly found in Malaysia, where it is considered the national dish; it is also popular in neighbouring areas such as Singapore; Brunei, and Southern Thailand.

NASI LEMAK RECIPE

 for the rice:

• 2 cups coconut milk
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon ground gunger
• salt to taste
• 2 cups long grain rice, rinsed and drained

for the ganish:

• 4 eggs
• 1 cucumber
• 1 cup raw peanuts
• 1 (4ouce) white anchovies

for the sambal:

• 2 tablespoon oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 3 shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoon chilie paste
• 1 (4ounce) package white anchovies
• 1/4 cup tamarind juice

METHOD COOKING:

1.  In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together coconut milk, water, ground ginger, salt and rice. cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until done.

1. Place eggs in a saucepan, and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil, and immediately remove from heat. Cover, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove eggs from hot water, cool, peel and slice in half. Slice cucumber.

1. Meanwhile, in a large skillet or wok, heat 1 cup vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Stir in peanuts and cook briefly, until lightly browned. Remove peanuts with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to soak up excess grease. Return skillet to stove. Stir in the contents of one package anchovies; cook briefly, turning, until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels. Discard oil. Wipe out skillet.

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet. Stir in the onion, garlic, and shallots; cook until fragrant, about 1 or 2 minutes. Mix in the chile paste, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the chile paste is too dry, add a small amount of water. Stir in remaining anchovies; cook for 5 minutes. Stir in salt, sugar, and tamarind juice; simmer until sauce is thick, about 5 minutes.

1. Serve the onion and garlic sauce over the warm rice, and top with peanuts, fried anchovies, cucumbers, and eggs.

ABOUT MALAYSIAN FOOD

In particular, Malaysian food is heavily influenced by Thai, Chinese, Indonesian and Indian cuisine. These influences extend from the use of the wok to the combinations of spices used in many popular dishes.
Malay food is generally spicy. Dishes are not always necessarily chilli-hot per se, but there will always, at the least, be a chilli-based sambal on hand. Traditional Southeast Asian herbs and spices meet Indian, Middle Eastern and Chinese spices in Malaysian food, leading to fragrant combinations of coriander and cumin (the basis of many Malay curries) with lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, cardamom, star anise and fenugreek.
As elsewhere in Asia, rice is an essential staple. Local or Thai rice is the most common, but Indian basmati is used in biryani dishes. Nasi lemak (‘fatty rice’), a dish of rice steamed with coconut milk and served with dried anchovies (ikan bilis), peanuts, hardboiled eggs, dried shrimp, cucumber and sambal, is considered Malaysia’s national dish and may be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is often served with a choice of curries or a popular spicy meat stew (usually, though not always, beef) known as rendang. Noodles are another popular starch staple, as are Indian breads such as roti canai, idli, puri and dhosa, which are commonly eaten with breakfast.
Early Chinese settlers often wed local Malay brides and this gave rise to a generation of mixed Chinese-Malays known as Peranakan. The Malay word "nonya", a term of respect for older women, has become synonymous with the distinctive Malaysian-Chinese cooking style of the Peranakans. The best known example in Australia is the popular spicy noodle soup laksa, of which there are two main types, curry laksa and asam laksa. Curry laksa is a coconut curry soup with noodles, while asam laksa is a sour fish soup with noodles.
Malaysian desserts are wonderfully colourful and creative, including layered rice flour and coconut sweets, multi-layered butter cake known as Lapis Legit, and sweet coconut rice balls. A popular dessert is Kueh Bahulu, mini sponge cakes that are dipped in black coffee.

  

NASI LEMAK

        

RENDANG AYAM

ROTI CANAI

KUIH LAPIS

 

KUIH BAHULU