About this recipe
Nasi Lemak is a Malaysian cuisine dish consisting of fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk, shallots, lemongrass and pandan leaf. It is paired with an aromatic sauce called “Sambal.” Besides that, it is usually served with cucumbers, eggs, peanuts, ikan bilis (anchovies) and your preferred choice of protein. This makes a complete Nasi Lemak dish.
The origins of Nasi Lemak can be traced back to 1909, when it was first mentioned in a book titled “The Circumstances of Malay Life,” written by Sir Richard Olof Winstedt. It is recognised as Malay dish and was popularised as a breakfast food. In the olden days, Nasi Lemak was paired with fried fish, kangkung and stir-fried sambal, while the rice would be cooked over an open fire and closely monitored to prevent the milk from overheating. Nowadays, the making of Nasi Lemak is less tedious as rice cookers have made its creation much easier, while it is generally paired with anchovies or anchovies-infused sambal variations.
An interesting fact is that in March 2016, Nasi Lemak was mentioned as one of the 10 healthy international breakfast foods by TIME magazine.
I can speak for all Malaysians when I say, that any time is nasi lemak o’clock. Malaysia is known as a multiethnic country, and every Malaysian can definitely agree this is the dish that brings us all together.