Coconut-flavored Rice Meal 椰浆饭 Nasi Lemak

Coconut-flavored Rice Meal - is rice cooked in coconut milk made aromatic with pandan leaves [screwpine leaves]. It is typically served with Sambal Ikan Bilis - fried dried anchovies cooked in a dry sambal sauce, and garnished with cucumber slices, hard boiled egg and roasted peanuts. Traditionally packaged in a banana leaf, it is usually eaten as hearty breakfast fare.


INGREDIENTS for Coconut Rice :
- 2 cups rice, preferably basmati rice
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 2 pandan leaves [screwpine leaves], tied into a knot [optional]
- 3 shallots onion, finely chopped
- 10 tsp thick coconut milk
- 1 slice ginger
- sugar and salt to taste


Ingredients for Sambal Ikan Bilis :
- 1 cup dried Ikan Bilis [Dried Anchovies]
- 1 large red onion, sliced
- 1/2 cup peanut or vegetable oil
- 3 tsp tamarind pulp with ?cup hot water to make tamarind paste
- 4 tbsp or to taste, chili paste
- 6 shallots
- 1 tsp belacan, also spelt belachan or blacan [dried shrimp paste]
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 large onion, sliced into rounds

Garnishing :
- 4 hard boiled eggs, cut into quarters
- 1 cup of ikan bilis, fried until crispy
- 1 cup of peanuts, fried or roasted
- 1 seedless cucumber, peeled and sliced


To Prepare Coconut Rice:
- Wash rice several time until water runs quite clear
- In a pot, add rice, coconut milk, water [use correct amounts of water according to type of rice]
- Add shallots, ginger and pandan leaves [optional]
- Bring to boil, lower heat, simmer 10-12 mins uncovered until the water has been absorbed into the level of the rice
- Loosen rice grains with a wooden ladle
- Cover with a tight-fitting lid, steam rice on very low heat, about 10-12 mins
- When rice is done, gently fluff rice with fork


NOTE: You can use a rice cooker to cook the rice

To Prepare Sambal Ikan Bilis:
- Using a mortar & pestle or blender, grind chili paste, shallots, belacan and garlic into a paste
- To a wok or saucepan, add peanut or vegetable oil, heat on high until oil temperature is 350F, fry ikan bilis until crispy
- Remove, drain well on paper towels
- Remove all but 2 tbsp of oil, sauté ground paste for 1-2 mins
- Add red onions, tamarind paste, sugar, salt to taste
- Cook until gravy thickens [to a dark reddish brown]
- Add ikan bilis, mix to combine, remove from heat
- Dish a serving portion of coconut rice onto a plate [or banana leaf!], a little of each garnishing and some sambal ikan bilis - served hot or at room temperature

[The English recipe is originated from http://www.malaysianfood.net/]