A Malaysian Breakfast

The Malays eat Nasi Lemak (coconut rice) for breakfast - yes.. rice early in the morning. not just rice, but it is accompanied by boiled eggs, dried anchovies and peanuts, cucumber slices and sambal tumis (lots and lots of cooked red chillies!). nasi lemak is available in most malay hawker stalls throughout malaysia and singapore during breakfast time. it is a heavy meal to start off your day, therefore i wouldnt recommend people to practise the malaysian diet!!

I normally cook this during the weekends when Hardy has slightly more time to enjoy his breakfast, rather than a 5 min one before dashing off to work.


NASI LEMAK

RICE

Long grain rice - 1½ cups
Coconut milk - ¾ cup
Cooking oil - 2 tsp (to prevent the rice from sticking together) - if you have a good rice, you might not need them
Water - 2 cups
Ginger - slice them up thinly
Shallots - slice them
Pandan Leaf - tie a knot (i didnt use any)
Lemongrass - (whack one up and chuck it in the rice cooker)
Halba - (those brown things which i think in english is called fenugreek?)
Salt

1. Wash rice in cold water and drain. Soak in coconut milk for 10 minutes.
2. Pour 2 tsp of oil in the rice cooker, add the rice and let the oil coat the rice.
3. Now add the water.
4. Add ginger and shallots.
5. Add in pandan leaf and lemongrass.

Basically, its the same method as cooking the normal rice, but substitue the water to coconut milk. the fruity essence of the pandan leaf, lemongrass and the nutty flavor of the coconut milk will infuse into the rice.

Make sure you switch the rice-cooker to the cook mode (i can't tell you how many times i've forgotten to do this and waited hours for my rice to be ready!)

EGGS and CUCUMBER

Boil the eggs and later cut into halves
Slice some cucumber

ANCHOVIES
Fry them in a pan of hot oil but be very careful not to burn them. it should be golden and crunchy.

SAMBAL TUMIS

Dried chillies
Shallots
Garlic
Belacan (Dried Shrimp Paste) - You must be able to handle the smell!
Asam Juice
Salt & Sugar to taste

Method:

1. Take out all or some of the seeds of the dried chillies as required so that the sambal will not be too hot. do this by simply snipping the chillies across into two and the dried seeds will tumble out.
2. Soak the dried chillies in water (the longer the better) and later bring it to boil.
3. Put the dried chillies, skinned shallots, garlic and the baked blachan and some water (just enough to cover the ingredients) into the blender and grind till fine.
3. Put some oil into a saucepan, add the chillie mixture and stir well till it changes colour.
4. Add the the prepared assam juice.
5. Cook for some time until the chillie mixture turns a little dark red. do not overcook as the mizture will turn darker and darker.
6. Add salt and sugar to taste. this is not a sweet dish and sugar should be added just enough to give it that saucy sharpness and no more.

I've practise long and hard for this but as usual, i dont really have the right measurements and quantities on how much each ingredient should be used. i should get the measurements.. i know.. will try to do it next time!