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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 Malaysia’s coconut rice dish served with sambal, crispy anchovies, peanuts, egg and cucumber. The rice cooks in coconut milk with pandan leaves, creating a fragrant base that balances the spicy chili sambal.
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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
 

  • 2 cups (400g) jasmine rice
  • 1 cup (240ml) coconut milk
  • 1 cup (240ml) water
  • 2 pandan leaves, tied into a knot
  • ½ cup (75g) roasted peanuts
  • ½ cup (50g) dried anchovies
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cucumber, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the Sambal
  • 6 dried red chilies, soaked
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 small shallot
  • 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
  • 1 tablespoon palm sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Optional Garnishes
  • banana leaf squares
  • extra sambal
  • fried shallots

Method
 

  1. Rinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear.
  2. Combine rice, coconut milk, water and pandan leaves in a saucepan or rice cooker.
  3. Cook until the rice is tender and fragrant.
  4. Blend soaked chilies, garlic and shallot to form a paste.
  5. Heat oil in a small pan and cook the chili paste until aromatic.
  6. Add tamarind paste and palm sugar and cook until slightly thickened.
  7. Fry dried anchovies in oil until crisp.
  8. Cook eggs until firm or soft according to preference.
  9. Serve coconut rice with sambal, anchovies, peanuts, egg and cucumber.

Notes

  • A rice cooker simplifies cooking the coconut rice evenly.