Nasi Lemak
The iconic unofficial national dish of Malaysia
Nasi lemak is a food that I consider as very important in my life . Everything about it is mouth-wateringly attractive, from its fragrant rice to its delightfully spicy sambal.
The origins of Nasi lemak can be traced back to 1909 when it was first mentioned in the book called: Circumstances of Malay Life written by Sir Richard Olof Winstedt. Nasi lemak can be found in Malaysia, Singapore and variations of it can be found in Indonesia. There is no specific country where Nasi lemak came from but it is a fact that it came from the Malays. But the story behind Nasi lemak that has been passed around is much simpler. It all began in a small village near Malacca where a widow named Mak Kuntum, and her daughter, Seri, resided. After her husband died in a battle, Mak Kuntum had to work as a masseur to earn money for the family (apparently she was really good too!) and so Seri was often left at home to take care of the chores. One day, Seri accidentally spilt coconut milk into the boiling pot of rice and soon the sweet aroma of santan began to fill the whole room. When Mak Kuntum returned home for lunch, she couldn’t help but notice the fragrant smell of the rice. Upon tasting it, she was further intrigued and immediately asked her daughter, “Apa kau masak ni, Seri?” (What did you cook, Seri?) To which Seri replied, “Nasi le, Mak!” (Rice, mother!) And from that day on, the coconut milk-infused rice became known as nasi lemak.
It is certainly agreeable to every Nasi lemak lover that the rice and sambal are the key important factors that makes this food so attractive.
The Nasi (Rice)
I can tell you that this is no ordinary rice. The Coconut milk and Pandan leaves are added to the rice to make it fragrant and rich (in calories :)) but of course this would not stop anyone after breathing in the delightfully sweet aroma. Other condiments can be added to the rice such as ginger. You can find the recipe here: Recipe
The Sambal (chili paste)
The sambal (stares dreamily off into space) is amazing. What else can I say? Spicy food lovers please gather around because this is a treat you do not want to miss. The sambal usually comprise of these very important ingredients and if you leave out these staples, its basically not even a sambal anymore. Ikan Bilis(anchovies), belacan(prawn paste) and the third most important is tamarind. So now that you know the quintessential of sambal you can go ahead and check out the full recipe to make it at home: Recipe
Variations of Nasi lemak
The basic Nasi lemak comprises of rice, sambal(chili paste), ikan bilis(dried anchovies),peanuts, boiled egg and cucumbers but hold your horses… are you telling me that I can add my favorite fried chicken to my Nasi lemak?
The truth is, Nasi lemak is versatile. Just imagine taking rice and adding on the dishes you want.
Nasi lemak can have a lot of toppings such as fried chicken-
Sambal sotong-
Rendang chicken or beef-
Where to find to find Nasi lemak?
Nasi lemak can be found almost anywhere in Malaysia and Singapore. From a road side stall to a mamak restaurant to a fancy bistro and even in McDonald’s in Malaysia!
Nasi lemak is just one of the many flavorful foods that are here in southeast Asia. There is no doubt that Nasi lemak would forever be cherished as a national dish in the hearts of Malaysians for many centuries to come.
