Coconut Milk Rice (Nasi Lemak)
Malaysia is known for its nasi lemak, among other delicious meals. Coconut rice with spicy sweet sambal and spiced fried chicken, together with its trimmings. You've got to try.
- Prep time
- 40 min
- Cook time
- 1 hr
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 2 lemongrass (, cut)
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/2 inch ginger
- 1 tbsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground fennel
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 4 chicken legs/ thighs (, or 2-3 breasts)
- 1/4 cup coconut milk ((60 ml))
- 1 large egg (, lightly beaten)
- 2 tbsp rice flour
- 3.5 oz dry anchovies ((100 gr))
- 2 red onions (, sliced)
- 1.8 oz dry chilli, cut into small pieces and remove the seeds.
- 3 shallots (, roughly cut)
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/2 inch ginger
- 1/2 inch shrimp paste
- water
- sunflower oil
- 1 tsp salt (, hold back the salt as anchovies are already salty)
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp tamarind juice (or use lemon/lime juice to taste)
- 2 cup basmati rice ((370 gr))
- 3 cup canned coconut milk ((750 ml))
- 1 cup water ((250 ml))
- 1 pandan leaf (, knotted)
- 1 shallot (, thinly sliced)
- 2 inch ginger (, cut into matchsticks)
- 4 garlic cloves (, thinly sliced)
- 1 lemongrass (, cut into 2 inch length)
- 2 tsp salt
- water for soaking rice
- hard boiled eggs
- sliced cucumber
- peanuts
Instructions
- 1
Blend/pound lemongrass, garlic and ginger into a paste. Set aside.
- 2
In a bowl add in chicken, pounded paste and the rest of the ingredients except egg and rice flour. Mix everything well. Marinate overnight or at least 4 hours.
- 3
Add egg and rice flour to marinated chicken, coating them well. Set aside.
- 4
Heat a pot of oil on medium heat. Fry chicken until golden brown and fully cooked. Place paper towel to drain the excess oil.
- 5
Blend chilli, shallots, garlic, shrimp paste and ginger with a splash of water ,into a paste. Set aside.
- 6
Heat some oil in a pot and fry the anchovies until they are crispy. Place on paper towel, set aside. Then fry the onions until they are soft and golden brown at the edges. Place on a plate, set aside.
- 7
Pour in the blended chilli and add in a splash of water to loosen it up a bit. Cook for 15-20 minutes until the sauce reduces and thickens (stir now and then).
- 8
Season with salt, sugar and tamarind juice (a good sambal needs to be a bit sweet with a balance of sour and salty). Add in fried anchovies and onion. Turn the heat off and mix well. Sambal is ready.
- 9
Soak basmati rice with water for 30 minutes. Drain right before using.
- 10
Place the rest of the ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil, then add in rice. Bring it back to a simmer, cover pot with a lid and cook on low heat for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave it for another 10 minutes before fluffing up the rice and serve.