Nasi Lemak

Method7 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Rinse all 2 cups uncooked rice in fresh rinsing water (1½ cups) until the water runs clear, then drain completely. Put the rice in a rice cooker suitable for cooking with coconut milk (½ cup). Add the separate 1½ cups rice water, ½ cup coconut milk, 1 teaspoon rice salt and all 3 knotted pandan leaves. Cook following the appliance directions until the rice is fully cooked. Remove and discard the pandan leaves; keep the cooked coconut rice for serving.

   Uses 2 cups uncooked rice · Water for rinsing the rice, as needed; discard after rinsing · 1½ cups water for the coconut rice · ½ cup coconut milk for the rice · 1 tsp salt for the coconut rice · 3 pandan leaves, tied into a knot

2. 2

   Step 2: Cover all 8 seeded dried chilies with the separate chili-soaking water and soak for about 10–15 minutes, until softened, then drain. Pound or process all the softened chilies with the 4 peeled shallots, 1 peeled garlic clove and 1 teaspoon belacan until a smooth spice paste forms.

   Soften dried chilies · 13 minUses 8 medium-length dried red chilies, seeded · Water for soaking the dried chilies, enough to cover; drain after soaking · 4 shallots, peeled · 1 clove garlic, peeled · 1 tsp belacan (prawn paste)

3. 3

   Step 3: Soak the small ping-pong-ball-sized piece of tamarind pulp (1 piece) in its separate 1 cup water for 15 minutes, squeezing it repeatedly to release the flavor. Strain and keep all the extracted tamarind juice for the sambal; discard the pulp residue.

   Extract tamarind juice · 15 minUses 1 piece tamarind pulp, about the size of a small ping-pong ball · 1 cup water for tamarind juice

4. 4

   Step 4: Rinse all the peeled dried anchovies in the separate anchovy-rinsing water. Drain and dry them thoroughly before frying. Heat all 2 cups frying oil and fry the anchovies until light brown and crisp. Lift out and drain on paper towels, keeping all the fried anchovies for the sambal. Retain the frying oil: measure 2 tablespoons from the remaining oil for step 5 and keep the rest separately for frying the fish.

   Uses 1 cup ikan bilis (peeled dried anchovies) · Water for rinsing the dried anchovies, as needed; discard after rinsing · 2 cups frying oil for anchovies, sambal and fish

5. 5

   Step 5: Heat the reserved 2 tablespoons frying oil from step 4 over medium-low heat. Fry all the spice paste from step 2 until fragrant and reddish. Add all the onion rings and fried anchovies from step 4, then all the strained tamarind juice from step 3. Stir in the 2 tablespoons sambal sugar and season with the separate sambal salt; add a little optional extra sugar if needed. Simmer gently until thickened, then keep the sambal for serving.

   Uses 2 tbsp recovered frying oil, reserved for sambal · All smooth belacan-chili spice paste · 1 red onion, peeled and sliced into rings · All fried anchovies · All strained tamarind juice · 2 tbsp sugar for the sambal · Salt for the sambal, to taste · Additional sugar for the sambal, to taste, optional

6. 6

   Step 6: Season all 3 cleaned, halved small sardines (3) with the separate fish salt. Heat the retained frying oil from step 4, excluding the 2 tablespoons already used for sambal, and fry the fish in batches as needed. Cook until crisp outside and fully cooked inside: the flesh should be opaque and separate easily, or reach 63°C/145°F in the thickest part. Drain on paper towels.

   Uses 3 small sardines, cleaned and cut in half · Salt for seasoning the fish, to taste · Remaining recovered frying oil after the 2 tbsp sambal reserve

7. 7

   Step 7: Divide all the cooked coconut rice from step 1 among four plates. Share all the fried fish from step 6, the 4 ready hard-boiled egg halves, roasted peanuts (1 cup) and sliced cucumber (1) between them. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the finished sambal from step 5 onto each plate and serve immediately. Keep any remaining sambal separate; refrigerate leftovers promptly.

   Uses All cooked coconut rice · All cooked fried sardines · 2 hard-boiled eggs, already cooked, peeled and halved · 1 cup already roasted peanuts · 1 small cucumber, sliced and each slice quartered · About 2 tbsp finished sambal per plate