Nasi Lemak (Coconut Rice) and Sambal Recipe

Bashed lemongrass 

.::Nasi lemak::.

Ingredients

- 2 cups rice

- 1 cup coconut milk

- 1 1/2 to 2 cups water

- 1 tsp salt

- 1 lemongrass (white part), bashed

- 2 fried shallot

- 2 cloves garlic

- 1 inch ginger

- 1 tbsp margarine (skip if you want pure white rice)

- 2 pandan leaves

.::Sambal::.

Ingredients

- 5 shallots

- 3 cloves garlic

- 10 dried chili

- 1 inch ginger

- 1 tsp tamarind paste

- 2 tbsp palm sugar

- 1 tbsp white sugar

- 1 tsp salt

- 5 tbsp cooking oil

- a handful of anchovies*

- chili sauce/ chili paste*

Steps

1) Peel, clean, chop & blend (use blender, skip the mortar and pestle) shallots, garlic, dried chili & ginger. Add anchovies.

2) Heat oil, sauté ingredients in step 1 until fragrant. Add in tamarind paste, palm sugar, sugar & salt.

3) Add a little water if too dry, cook until you see some bubbles popping.

Cooking this favourite dish of many Malaysians requires some strategising so you don't waste time. You'll want the sambal and condiments to be ready when the rice is cooked so you can have it piping hot!

So... once you have all the ingredients ready- measured and washed, etc. you can start by frying the shallot for rice. Just switch on the electric rice cooker, pour in some oil and add chopped shallot. Let it fry a bit then simply put in washed rice and the rest of the ingredients, close the lid and let cook.

Next, boil eggs (if you like your rice with hard-boiled egg) or start frying the peanuts, anchovies and lastly the telur dadar. 

Finally, prepare the sambal and tadaaahh~

Serve hot! Okay, maybe let it warm a bit.

I hope you'll enjoy this easy peasy basic nasi lemak recipe!

People who eat pokok, I mean, vegetable, go ahead and cut those cucumbers and add a slice of two to your nasi. My no-veggie gang can start eating already ;)