Nasi lemak is a popular Malay dish consisting of coconut rice topped with anchovies and served with various accompaniments. It is a national dish in Malaysia and common in other Asian nations, often sold in mamak stalls.
Nasi lemak is a popular Malay dish which consists of a coconut rice ball which is often topped with anchovies and wrapped in a banana leaf. While the recipe is most popular in Malaysia, where it is considered a national dish, it is also common in Asian nations such as Brunei, the Riau Islands, southern Thailand, and especially Singapore. Nasi lemak is often confused with nasi dagang, a similar coconut milk rice dish which is mainly different because it is also made with fish curry.
The phrase nasi lemak means “rice in cream” in Malay. It is popular as both street food and a restaurant meal. The dish is served at any time of day, though it’s most popular for breakfast
Nasi lemak is commonly served as part of a plate of food. Typical accompaniments include hard-boiled eggs, sliced cucumber, roasted peanuts, and hot sauce. It can also be served with heartier foods such as chicken, cockle, pickled vegetables called achar, and cuttlefish. Beef lungs, known as paru, and beef, which is a dish cooked with coconut milk and spices, are also commonly served with nasi lemak.
A ball of coconut rice is the basic building block of nasi lemak. Once the cooked rice is mixed with coconut milk, it is seasoned with grape leaves, also known as pandan. These leaves are not only a key ingredient in nasi lemak, but an important part of Malaysian cuisine in general. Other flavorings such as salt, ginger and shallots can also be added.
Ikan bilis is the Malay word for anchovy. The condiment that most often accompanies the coconut rice ball is called ikan bilis sambal. To prepare it, a mixture of prawn paste and seasonings such as dried chillies and garlic are pan-fried and mixed with onion rings. Then sugar, salt and tamarind juice are mixed. The final element is the addition of fried anchovies.
In Malaysia, nasi lemak is commonly sold by establishment vendors known as mamak stalls. These restaurants can be anything from a makeshift stall to a small restaurant or cafe. They are popular gathering places due to the variety and low cost of food and long hours of operation. Many mamak stalls are open most, if not all, hours of the day and remain open every day except some holidays. Restaurants are named after the Tamil Muslims who generally run them.
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