For the next stop in Southeast Asia for our World Culture Tour, we landed in Malaysia. For this stop, we chose to make the national dish, Nasi Lemak with a Sambal chutney.
The sambal chutney was a bit spicy, but that spiciness paired nicely with the sweetness of the nasi lemak. The rice is cooked with pandan leaves which provide a rich, sweet flavor.
Then, the meal is served with hard boiled eggs, peanuts, sliced cucumbers, and sardines on the side. I'm not sure if it was the original intent, but these other items helped tone down the level of spiciness.
We did cheat a bit, though. No one in our family is a fan of anchovies. So, we skipped anchovies. Instead, we grilled deli slices of chicken and pulled them into strips.
Speaking of chicken, fried chicken is often served alongside Nasi Lemak.
Ingredients
Rice:
Pandan leaves tied into knots
3 cups rice
3 cups water
1 inch piece of fresh ginger
150 ml coconut milk
Garnishes:
A hard boiled egg per plate
Sliced cucumber
Peanuts
1/2 package of Anchovies (or substitute deli sliced chicken if you'd prefer)
Sambal:
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 package of Anchovies (chicken substitution again, if preferred)
18 dry chili peppers (remove the seeds)
1/3 of an onion
Enough water to allow the items to mix in a blender
Directions
Bring the rice ingredients to a boil, then turn down the heat and let the rice simmer till done (20 to 30 minutes)
For the garnishes, hard boil the eggs and slice the cucumber. Grill or fry the anchovies (or chicken).
For the sambal, you must first prepare the chili peppers. Heat them in water until they are softened. Then, remove the seeds or the sauce will be too hot. Next, put all the ingredients in a blender and blend till well mixed.
Once all are ready, scoop the rice into the center of your plate. Place the garnishes around the rice. Spoon the chutney on top of the rice. Enjoy!
For the rest of our Malaysia stop:
Movies
DNA
Paskal
Boboiboy the movie
Farewell to the King
Return to Paradise
Black hat
Malaysia Documentary - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxHDF5C6T5U
Stories: Coconut Tree (http://www.topics-mag.com/folk-tales/folk-tale-disobedience-malay.htm)
Music: Traditional Malay music (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj2Ehv21VGQ),
Food: Nasi Lemak
In nearby Singapore:
Movies
Road to Singapore
Crazy Rick Asians
Hitman: Agent 47
The Offering
Singapore history - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69Fdgv2ZQQs
Stories: The Legend of Singapura - http://www.consumer.sg/5-of-the-most-popular-singaporean-myths-and-folktales/
Click to see more of the World Culture Tour!