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A plate of authentic Nasi Lemak surrounded by boiled eggs, cucumber slices, anchovies, nuts, and various sauces. A bowl of peanuts, a drink with a lemon slice, and a bowl of sauce on the side completes this traditional recipe.

Authentic Nasi Lemak Recipe

A man in an apron standing in a kitchen.Michael O'Connor
A fragrant Malaysian rice dish cooked in coconut milk, served with sambal, anchovies, peanuts, boiled egg, and cucumber.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Meal Type Main Course
Cuisine Malaysian
Servings 4
Calories 911 kcal
Difficulty Medium
Ingredient Cost $8
Shopping Cost$33

Equipment

  • Rice cooker or pot
  • Frying pan
  • Small saucepan

Ingredients
 
 

Rice:

  • 2 cups jasmine rice
  • 1 ½ cups coconut milk
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 pandan leaf optional
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Sambal:

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 4 shallots sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 5 red chilies dried, soaked and blended
  • 1 teaspoon belacan shrimp paste
  • 2 tablespoons tamarind paste
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • Salt to taste

Toppings:

  • ½ cup anchovies dried
  • ½ cup roasted peanuts
  • 4 boiled eggs halved
  • 1 cucumber sliced

Instructions
 

Rice:

  • Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. In a rice cooker or pot, combine rice, coconut milk, water, pandan leaf, and salt. Cook until the rice is fluffy and fragrant.
    2 cups jasmine rice, 1 1/2 cups coconut milk, 1 cup water, 1 pandan leaf, 1 teaspoon salt

Sambal:

  • Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Sauté shallots and garlic until fragrant.
    2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 4 shallots, 2 cloves garlic
  • Add blended chilies, shrimp paste, and cook until the oil separates from the paste.
    5 red chilies, 1 teaspoon belacan
  • Stir in tamarind paste, sugar, and salt. Cook for a few more minutes until thickened. Set aside.
    2 tablespoons tamarind paste, 1 tablespoon sugar, Salt to taste

Toppings:

  • In a small saucepan, fry dried anchovies until crispy. Drain on paper towels.
    1/2 cup anchovies
  • Arrange boiled eggs, roasted peanuts, cucumber slices, and fried anchovies on a plate.
    1/2 cup roasted peanuts, 4 boiled eggs, 1 cucumber, 1/2 cup anchovies
  • To serve, place a mound of coconut rice on each plate and add sambal and toppings around it.

Notes

For a vegetarian version, omit the anchovies and shrimp paste and use a vegetarian sambal.
Serve with additional sides like fried chicken or rendang for a more substantial meal.

Nutrition

Calories: 911kcalCarbohydrates: 104gProtein: 30gFat: 43gSaturated Fat: 22gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.05gCholesterol: 220mgSodium: 844mgPotassium: 1.066mgFiber: 6gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 869IUVitamin C: 87mgCalcium: 177mgIron: 7mg
Keyword Coconut Rice, Malaysian Cuisine, Nasi Lemak, Traditional Recipe

Ingredient Costs: Cost of Recipe by Ingredient Measurements

Shopping Costs: Cost of Recipe with Brand New Ingredient Purchases

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