Nasi Lemak or Fragrant Coconut Rice, a Malaysian favorite dish! I don't know anyone who doesn't like nasi lemak. I am a sucker for the banana leaf wrapped nasi lemak that used to sell for 50 cent a pack. Right now, I have no idea how much is it, $1? $1.50? One thing for sure, it was not that cheap anymore. The combination of coconut rice and the ikan bilis sambal (anchovies chili sauce) blended so well together, it is hard to stop at just a packet! And when it is wrapped in banana leaf, oh mine, the fragrant of the banana leaf with the coconut rice, it's explosive! So, if you are going to visit Malaysia, this is a must-try dish. Even now, when I go back to visit my parents, it's my must have breakfast.
My girl friend back in college gave me the idea of adding pandan paste into the coconut rice. She made this dish for a cooking competition and won first place. So now, for variation I also added some pandan paste into my coconut rice. I served my nasi lemak with the usual ikan bilis sambal, roated peanuts, fresh cucumber, hard boiled egg and spice chicken (recipe coming up).
For the above nasi lemak, wash the rice, instead of water, use coconut milk, add a little salt, some black peppers and pandan paste. Cook in rice cooker.
I want some!! love nasi lemak!! but never thought adiing pandan paste into the rice! innovative!!
ReplyDeleteYour nasi lemak make me drooling ler..especially the pandan coconut rice, very creative, next time I also want to cook like this..
ReplyDeleteDid you used the normal pandan paste we use for kueh?
ReplyDeleteOMG, this is soooo good! And adding pandan paste to the rice, great idea~!
ReplyDeleteYour Nasi lemak look very delicious and like those u have at the cafe.. Thanks for the sharing..
ReplyDeleteHe he, this is too much of a coincidence! Can teach me how to make the chilli ikan bilis? I shall try pandan paste in future. I searched all over for the banana leaves but couldn't get them.
ReplyDeletepandan paste is a good idea too.. coz pandan leaves r sooo expensive! good tip!
ReplyDeleteIt's good, you ladies should try it, Les and Sonia. :)
ReplyDeleteYes Gert! :)
Thanks Anh. You should try it. :)
You're welcome Li Shan. :)
Hehe SIG, my ikan bilis recipe is a secret hor. But since you are a special friend, I will e-mail you the recipe lah. :)
Thanks Daphne. You should try this too!
For me, we use pandan leaves tie in a knot - put in the rice cooker..
ReplyDeleteyou cooked nasi lemak! how malaysian! ;)
ReplyDeletei failed making indonesian version of nasi lemak (nasi uduk) a few times...i dunno what i did wrong...i replaced water with coconut milk...and the result was uneven and also mushy T_T
ReplyDeleteLOVE this. LOOOOVE.
ReplyDeleteI long for those unadulterated simple nasi lemak that I used to get at my school canteen for under a ringgit.
Speaking of pandan paste, I went to a local Malaysian eatery in Sydney and came across nasi lemak with GREEN nasi. OMG. If this cafe's owner ever showed his face in KL serving green nasi, I can't even imagine what would happen to him. LOL
Leen, yup that's the traditional version. I hardly buy frozen pandan leaves here so the alternative would be pandan paste for us who are living overseas. ;P
ReplyDeleteHehe Rokh.
Hmm Rita. For the rice, you have to stir it to distribute the coconut milk evenly and let it cook further. If it's mushy, perhaps you need to cut down on the coconut milk the next time? Different rice cooker might cook differently.
Implosion, why? It's different from the norm and might get a hit. :P
I used to make the juice out of pandan leaves and make the coloring myself...
ReplyDeleteI really love Nasi Lemak. I love both the Malay style (with fried fish, ikan bilis and peanuts) and the Chinese style (with a lot of 'liao' to choose like deep fried chix wings). Yum!
ReplyDeleteyum yum..... I need a quick fix of nasi lemak!
ReplyDelete