Nasi Lemak, Malaysia’s national dish, means “rich rice”—fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaves, served wrapped in banana leaf with spicy sambal, crispy anchovies (ikan bilis), peanuts, cucumber, and boiled egg.

Street food perfection, eaten any time of day.

Ingredients (serves 4):

• Rice: jasmine rice, coconut milk, pandan leaves, ginger
• Sambal: dried anchovies, chilies, shallots, tamarind, belacan (shrimp paste)
• Roasted peanuts, hard-boiled eggs, cucumber
• Fried anchovies

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cook rice with coconut milk, knotted pandan, and salt in rice cooker or pot.
2. Blend and fry sambal ingredients until thick and fragrant.
3. Deep-fry anchovies until crispy.
4. Roast peanuts.
5. Slice cucumber and boil eggs.
6. Assemble on plates or banana leaves: rice mound with sambal and toppings.

Tips: Pandan is essential for aroma; make sambal spicy-sweet balance.