Nasi Lemak with Sambal Ikan Bilis

Ingredients

• Jasmine rice 400 g
• Coconut milk, canned 250 ml (240 g)
• Water 450 ml
• Pandan leaves and fresh ginger 2 leaves and 3 slices (10 g)
• Salt 1.5 tsp (9 g)
• Dried anchovies (ikan bilis), rinsed 80 g
• Raw peanuts, skin on 80 g
• Eggs, large, hard-boiled 6 (300 g)
• Cucumber 1 small (150 g)
• Dried red chilies, soaked 20 g
• Shallots and garlic 6 (100 g) and 4 cloves (16 g)
• Shrimp paste (belacan) 1 tsp (5 g)
• Tamarind pulp and sugar 20 g and 2 tbsp (25 g)
• Vegetable oil 150 ml

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse the rice, then cook it with the coconut milk, 350 ml of the water, a third of the salt, the knotted pandan leaves and the ginger in a rice cooker or covered pot for 15 minutes; rest 10 minutes.

2. 2

   Fry the anchovies in the oil over medium heat for 4 minutes until crisp and lift them out; fry the peanuts in the same oil for 4-5 minutes and drain.

3. 3

   Blend the soaked chilies, shallots, garlic and shrimp paste to a paste with a splash of water.

4. 4

   Pour off all but about 4 tbsp of the oil and fry the paste over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring, until dark red and the oil separates.

5. 5

   Soak the tamarind in the remaining 100 ml of warm water, strain it into the sambal, add the sugar, the remaining salt and half the anchovies, and cook for 5 minutes more.

6. 6

   Slice the cucumber and halve the hard-boiled eggs.

7. 7

   Serve the rice with the sambal, the remaining crisp anchovies, peanuts, egg and cucumber.