Seafood Delights With Nasi Lemak

Seafood Delights With Nasi Lemak

Think you can’t cook Malaysian food? Too complicated? Wouldn’t know where to start? Think again! This spicy, tangy, vibrant cuisine is well within reach of your kitchen pantryWell the food bug hit me - I tend to cook up a storm not realizing that there’s too much food on the dining table. Guess that’s what happened last Sunday as the climate wAs SG it’s peek freezing cold prevent me from going anywhere. As usual I’m the first one to up on weekends as my body used the routine. Sleepy I got out of my bed stomped into bathroom. After freshening up I made my way the kitchen and put up fresh coffee pot to brew. Ohh boy !!! As the aroma of the freshly brewed coffee filling the surrounding of the kitchen I felt energized. At moment the food bug struck me as I open my freezer. Variety of seafood were stacked up neatly labeled. Let’s see I got a whole promfet , prawns, a packet of king crabs and some anchovies. Aha seafood delights!!! Also found lemon grass and Pandan leaves too. Just what I need ,” Nasi Lemak “-my Favorites 😋

Throughout my school years, I would savor nasi lemak, wrapped in green banana leaves, at least three times a week. Inside the bundle was warm coconut rice infused with the vanilla-like aroma of pandan leaves and citrusy ginger accompanied by a hard-boiled egg, crispy fried anchovies and peanuts, a few slices of cucumber, and a dollop of sambal — flavors that are still etched in my mind.

Accompaniments for Nasi Lemak: My Version

• Coconut Rice
• lkan Bilis Sambal
• Fried Whole Fish
• Spicy Sardine Sambal
• Prawn 65
• Mixed Vegetables
• Fried Eggs
• Fried lkan Bilis
• Fried Peanuts
• Slice cucumbers

The list could go on according to individual preference. Sit back and enjoy this delightful plate of Sara’s Asian Cuisine cravings at the comfort of your own kitchen.

The fragrance of this dish comes from the rice which is infused with coconut milk.

Ingredients For the Coconut Rice:

• 2 cups coconut milk
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 sugar
• 1 (1/2 inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 whole garlic crushed
• salt to taste
• 1 whole bay leaf or few panda leaves
• 1 crushed lemon grass
• 2 cups long grain rice, rinsed and drained

Preparation Methods:

First rinse the rice and drained it well. Place the drained rice in a rice cooker. Pour 50ml (1/4) of the thick coconut milk into a measuring cup. Add a little of the water to dilute it a little. Add in salt and sugar and stir to mix. Pour the coconut milk mixture into the drained rice in the rice cooker. Add in the rest of the water. Lastly add in crushed ginger, lemongrass and Pandan leaves. Cook the rice. When the rice reaches warming stage, remove the herbs and spices and add in the rest of the thick coconut milk.  Stir into the rice. Close the lid and let the rice absorb coconut milk.

“What makes a great Nasi Lemak” and almost everyone will agrees that it’s definitely the sambal and rice that made you lick your plate clean.

Ingredients For Sambal Ikan Bilis:

• 1/2 red onion
• 1 cup ikan bilis (dried anchovies)
• 1 clove garlic
• 4 shallots
• 10 dried chillies
• 1 teaspoon of belacan (prawn paste)
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Tamarind pulp juice

Preparation Methods:

Rinse the dried anchovies and drain the water. Fry the anchovies until they turn light brown and put aside. Pound the prawn paste together with shallots, garlic, and deseeded dried chilies with a mortar and pestle. Slice the onion thinly. Soak the tamarind pulp in water for 15 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind constantly to extract the flavor into the water. Drain the pulp and save the tamarind juice.Heat some oil in a pan and fry the spice paste until fragrant. Add in the sliced onions. Add in the ikan bilis and stir well. Add tamarind juice, salt, and sugar. Simmer on low heat until the gravy thickens. Set aside.

Ingredients for the Fried Whole Promfet;

• 1 whole promfet cleaned
• 1/2tsp turmeric powder
• 1tbsp chilli powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1/2tsp garam masala
• 1tbsp fish curry powder
• juice of half lemon
• salt and pepper for taste
• 3 tbsp corn flour
• 1 tbsp mustard oil

Preparation Methods:
Rub the fish with 1tsp of salt and let it stand for 10 minutes and risen. Pat dry and all the ingredients into a large bowl and rub the fish well. Marinate overnight. Heat a heavy bottomed wok with oil on medium flame and once heat deep fry them until golden brown and transfer to a serving platter with chopped coriander leaves and lemon wedges.

Ingredients for Spicy Sardine Sambal:

• 1 big tin sardine
• 1 large onion thinly sliced
• 1 tomato thinly sliced
• 5 garlic cloves finely minced
• 1/4 cup tamarind juice
• 1tsp chilly powder
• 5 Sambal chilli soaked and grind to Paste
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 2tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• salt to taste

Preparation Methods:

Open the tin of sardine using a can opener. Heat a wok with oil. Add the sliced onions and fry til the onions turn slightly brown followed by tomatoes, Sambal paste ,garlic and all the masala powder. Fry till the raw smells of the spice powder are removed. Finally add the sardine -once the the gravy starts to pour in the tamarind juice. Let the gravy sim for 10 minutes-adjust the level of salt and add the lime juice-remove from flame. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot

Ingredients For Prawn 65:

• 1 cup prawns
• 2 tbsp chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp of corn flour
• 1 tbsp curd
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation Methods:

Add all the ingredients expect the prawns in large bowl and mix well. Keep aside. Wash the prawns well and pad dry with a kitchen towel. Add the prawns to the batter and well. Refrigerate overnight. Heat oil in wok on medium flame and fry the prawns til tender and crisp.

Mixed Vegetables
The quick and easy recipe of stir-fried mixed vegetables is a delightful combination of oyster sauce and soy sauce.

Ingredients For Mixed Vegetables:

• 1 tbsp, vegetable oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed and chopped
• 3 cups of mixed vegetables of ur choice
• 100g beansprouts, washed and drained
• 200ml vegetable stock
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp cornflour mixture
• A pinch of salt, or to taste
• 1 tsp soya sauce, or to taste
• 1 tsp oyster sauce, or to taste
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Preparation Methods:

Heat oil in a wok, on high heat until hot. Add the mixed vegetables and fry for one minute. Add beansprouts and fry for two minutes. Pour in one ladle of stock and leave for two minutes or until it is starting to boil. Then gradually add the 2 tablespoons of cornflour mixture. Once this mixture is well incorporated the sauce should thicken. Lastly add in salt, soya sauce and oyster sauce. Serve top with toasted sesame seeds.

For the Fried Egg:

• 1 fresh egg
• 3/4tbsp butter
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation Methods:
Place a small non-stick frying pan over the lowest possible heat on your stove. Add the butter and let it melt slowly. then crack the egg into a small bowl and gently slide off the bowl into the frying pan -cover with a lid.Cook for 10 minutes. Flip over if you or else slide the cooked egg onto the serving platter sprinkle with fresh cracked pepper and salt.

Ikan Bilis
It is important to fry Ikan Bilis at the correct oil temperature and for the correct length of time so that they are crisp to the bite and not burnt.

Ingredients For fried lkan Bilis:

• 1 cup dried anchovies
• Oil for frying

Preparation Methods:
Rinse the cleaned anchovies 3 times to remove excess salt. Dry thoroughly with kitchen towel. Heat the cooking oil in a wide pan add in anchovies, stir occasionally. When anchovies have turned golden-brown and amount of bubble has reduced, it is time to remove from heat. Drain and cool the fried anchovies on an oil strainer, the crispy fried anchovies are ready to be served!

For the Fried Peanuts

100g fresh peanuts with skin :

1/4 cup oil

pinch of salt

Preparation Methods:
Rinse the peanuts and drain. Add peanuts along with the oil to a pan, turn on heat up to medium-low. Shake your pan from time to time. After 4-5 minutes, there will be “pa” sound in the pan. Turn off the heat and shake the pan for another minute. Transfer out and filter any oil. Sprinkle the salt and mix well - keep side.To finish of the plate slice some fresh cucumbers and arrange the your plate of Nasi Lemak. Enjoy!!!