Nasi Lemak
Cook Time 2 hours plus overnight marinating
Servings 5
Ingredients
Nasi Lemak (Fragrant Coconut Rice)
3 cups white rice
30g ginger
½ shallot, chopped
1 piece daun pandan
2 cups coconut milk
1 cup water
1 tbsp salt
Lemongrass Chicken
5 chicken leg
1 tbsp cumin seed
1 tbsp coriander seed
1 handful curry leaves
3 tbsp ginger
2 tbsp fresh turmeric
10 stalks lemongrass
1 tbsp salt
Quail Egg Sambal
1 tbsp belachan (shrimp paste)
1 tbsp ikan bilis (dried anchovies)
5 small red onions
1 white onion
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger
1 cup chilli paste
1 tbsp tamarind paste
½ cup shallot, sliced
20 quail egg, boiled and fried
4 tbsp brown sugar
2 cups cooking oil
Salt, to taste
To Garnish
Fried anchovies
Peanuts
Cucumber, sliced
Banana leaves, cut round
Method
For the nasi lemak, rinse the rice under running water for a few minutes. Drain it well, and transfer into a rice cooker. Add in the remaining ingredients and set aside 2 tablespoons of coconut milk to use later. Cook for about 30 minutes in the rice cooker, drizzle with the coconut milk and turn off the rice cooker.
For the lemongrass chicken, clean the chicken, pat dry and set aside. Using a food processor, blend lemongrass, turmeric and ginger (not too fine). Strain them well to remove excess water and cover the chicken with the mixture. In a hot pan, lightly toss cumin and coriander until fragrant, then coarse-grind with a mortar and pestle and sprinkle over the chicken. Marinate it overnight. Next day, deep-fry the chicken over low heat with curry leaves until cooked.
For the quail egg sambal, blend the belachan, ikan bilis, red onions, white onion and ginger in a food processor until it becomes a paste-like consistency. Heat the oil in a pot. Sauté the paste over low heat until fragrant. Add in chilli paste and stir constantly until it is cooked thoroughly. Pour in tamarind juice and sugar, keep on stirring for another 6-8 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with salt to achieve desired taste. Add in sliced onions and fried quail eggs, and it is then ready to serve.
To serve, arrange the banana leaves in the centre of the plate. Using a small bowl, scoop the rice and gently press into a compact shape. Then place in the centre of the plate. Arrange the remaining components surrounding the rice nicely.