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Traditional Malaysian nasi lemak plate with cucumber and sambal plus peanuts and a boiled egg. A typical breakfast dish in Malaysia.

Nasi Lemak

Nasi lemak is Malaysian coconut rice cooked with pandan and served with homemade sambal, crispy ikan bilis, roasted peanuts, egg and cucumber.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Breakfast, Main Dish
Cuisine: Malaysian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
 

For the Coconut Rice and Accompaniments
  • 2 cups (400g) jasmine rice, uncooked
  • 1 cup (240ml) coconut milk
  • 1 cup (240ml) water
  • 2 pandan leaves, tied into a knot
  • ½ teaspoon (2.5ml) fine salt
  • ½ cup (75g) roasted peanuts
  • ½ cup (50g) dried anchovies (ikan bilis)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cucumber, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil, for frying the anchovies
For the Sambal
  • 6 dried red chilies
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 small shallot
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) tamarind paste
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) palm sugar, grated or finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil
Optional Garnishes
  • Food-safe banana leaf squares
  • Extra sambal
  • Fried shallots

Method
 

Prepare the Chilies
  1. Put the dried chilies in a heatproof bowl, cover them with freshly boiled water and soak for 10 to 15 minutes.
  2. Cut off the stems. Remove some or all of the seeds for a milder sambal.
Prepare the Rice
  1. Meanwhile, rinse the jasmine rice in several changes of cool water until the water is mostly clear.
  2. Drain well.
If Using a Saucepan
  1. Combine the rice, coconut milk, water, pandan leaves and salt in a heavy saucepan. Heat over medium heat until gently simmering, stir once and cover tightly.
  2. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.
  3. Remove the pan from the heat and rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove the pandan and fluff the rice gently.
If Using a Rice Cooker
  1. Put the rice, coconut milk, water, pandan leaves and salt in the cooker. Run the regular white-rice cycle. Rest for 10 minutes after the cycle ends, then remove the pandan and fluff the rice.
Cook the Eggs
  1. While the rice cooks, lower the eggs into simmering water and cook for 10 minutes for firm yolks.
  2. Transfer them to cold water, then peel and halve.
Make the Sambal
  1. Drain the chilies, reserving a little soaking water. Blend the chilies, garlic and shallot into a paste.
    2. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of soaking water only if needed to get the blender moving.
  2. Heat the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil for the sambal in a small skillet (frying pan) over medium-low heat.
  3. Add the chili paste and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until the raw smell has gone and a little oil appears around the edge.
  4. Stir in the tamarind paste and palm sugar. Cook for another 2 or 3 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the sambal thickens.
    5. Add a spoonful of soaking water if it becomes too thick.
  5. Taste carefully, adjust flavors if needed and set aside.
Cook the Anchovies
  1. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a clean skillet over medium heat.
  2. Pat the ikan bilis dry if they were rinsed. Shallow-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until crisp.
  3. Drain on paper towel and leave uncovered.
Assemble the Nasi Lemak
  1. Divide the coconut rice among four plates. Add sambal, ikan bilis, roasted peanuts, egg and cucumber.
  2. Add banana leaf, extra sambal or fried shallots if liked.

Notes

  • Use a standard 240ml measuring cup for both the rice and liquid. A cup supplied with a rice cooker is often smaller.
  • A rice cooker can cook the coconut rice on its regular white-rice setting.
  • Check the dried anchovy package before cooking. I buy the smaller ikan bilis that are already cleaned. Some larger whole fish may need their heads and innards removed.
  • Keep the fried anchovies away from the hot rice and sambal until serving so steam doesn’t make them soft.
  • For storage, cool the rice quickly and refrigerate it in a shallow covered container within 2 hours. Keep the rice, sambal and eggs separate and eat them within 2 days. Reheat rice to 165°F (74°C) before serving.