Nasi lemak literally means ‘creamy rice’ and this fragrant rice makes a delicious side dish for any curry or stir-fry. Nasi lemak is also sometimes seen as a standalone dish, especially for breakfast, topped with a few interesting sambals, some fresh vegetables (such as cucumber), deep-fried tiny fish (ikan bilis) and peanuts, and often a fried egg or piece of omelette. My nasi lemak recipe is inspired by one Singaporean-born caterer Audra Morrice taught me (see video below). Audra cautions that, as rice differs from crop to crop and depending on how long it’s been stored, you may need to adjust the amount of liquid slightly with different batches of rice and depending on how tender you like the finished dish to be. Audra likes to see every grain separate in her nasi lemak, so uses a little less liquid than you may prefer; try it her way then adjust if need be to suit your taste. Don’t shake the can of coconut milk before opening it as you want to reserve some of the thicker cream that settles on the top; if there isn’t any, just save 2 tablespoon of the coconut milk to stir through the cooked rice.
Serves 2 as a side dish
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