Nasi Lemak

1Preparation

1. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear and drain it.
2. Blend the soaked chilies with the shallots, garlic and dried shrimp into a paste.
3. Boil the eggs for 10 minutes, cool and peel them, and slice the cucumber.

2Cooking

1. Put the rice, coconut milk, water, salt and pandan in a pot, bring to a boil, then cover and cook on low for 15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.

   🔥 low heat⏱ 18 min timer
2. Rest it covered for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork and remove the pandan.

   ⏱ 10 min timer
3. Fry the onion in the oil for 5 minutes, add the chili paste and cook 10 minutes until it darkens and the oil separates.

   🔥 medium heat⏱ 15 min timer
4. Add the tamarind, sugar and salt and cook 5 minutes until the sambal thickens.

   🔥 low heat⏱ 5 min timer
5. Fry the dried anchovies in a little oil for 2 minutes until crisp.

   🔥 medium heat⏱ 2 min timer

3Serving

1. Serve the rice with sambal, half an egg, cucumber slices, peanuts and crispy anchovies.

💡 Tips & common mistakes

• Cook the sambal paste until the oil rises to the surface; raw paste tastes harsh (the common mistake).
• Do not lift the lid while the coconut rice cooks so all the steam stays in.

🔁 Substitutions

• No pandan leaves? Add a small slice of ginger to the rice; the flavor will not match exactly.