Considered the national dish of Malaysia, nasi lemak is a breakfast staple in Singapore hawker centres, but is also recognised as one of the least healthy breakfast options - no surprise since lemak means ‘fatty’ and refers to the rich white rice cooked in coconut cream. When served with fried chicken, the dish really does pack a calorific punch. However, with a few tweaks and substitutions it is possible to create a healthier version of the dish to enjoy on weekends at home with family.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
45 minREADY
4½ hrsIngredients
Directions
To make the nasi lemak simply put all ingredients into a rice cooker and cook as normal.
To make the baked spicy chicken:
Mix all the spices and yoghurt to make a thick paste.
Place the chicken into a large plastic bag, pour in the spices and rub well into the chicken pieces until well coated.
Leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hours, but preferably overnight.
When ready to cook, pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees cup
Place the chicken pieces on a roasting tray (to allow fat to drip down) and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until brown and cooked through.
To make the sambal tumis:
Blend chillis, garlic and onion until a thick paste forms.
Heat some olive oil in a pan and stir-fry the chilli paste until it separates from the oil.
Add tamarind and coconut sugar, and continue to cook until the paste turns dark red.
Add a little bit of water and continue to cook for a further 2 minutes.
Adjust seasoning to taste. Let cool.
The paste can be stored in an air-tight container for up to a week in the fridge.
To assemble the nasi lemak:
Spoon a portion of rice onto a plate.
Add a piece of baked chicken, soft-boiled egg, ikan bilis, cucumber slices and sambal tunis.
Adapted from keelysiewcooks. com
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