Weeknight Nasi Lemak with Quick Sambal and Crispy Anchovies

⏱ 60 min · Serves 4

Fragrant coconut rice steamed with pandan and ginger, piled with a smoky-sweet chilli sambal, crunchy anchovies and peanuts, cool cucumber and a jammy egg. All the comfort of a Malaysian hawker breakfast, done in one hour at home.

Per serving: 720 kcal · 24.0g protein · 78.0g carbs · 36.0g fat

Ingredients

• 300g jasmine rice, rinsed until water runs clear
• 300ml coconut milk
• 150ml water
• 1 pandan leaf, knotted (or 1 bay leaf)
• 3 thin slices fresh ginger
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 cucumber, sliced
• 60g dried anchovies (ikan bilis)
• 60g raw skinless peanuts
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for frying
• 8 dried red chillies, soaked in hot water 15 min, drained
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 tsp shrimp paste (belacan) or 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste mixed with 3 tbsp water
• 1.5 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt

Method

1. Put the rinsed rice, coconut milk, water, pandan knot, ginger and 1 tsp salt in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer, stir once, then cover and cook on the lowest heat for 12 minutes. Turn off and leave covered 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
2. Meanwhile, boil the eggs for 7 minutes for jammy yolks, cool in cold water and peel.
3. Heat 1cm of oil in a small pan. Fry the peanuts 2-3 minutes until golden, lift out onto kitchen paper. Fry the anchovies 2-3 minutes until crisp, drain and salt lightly.
4. Blitz the soaked chillies, onion, garlic and shrimp paste to a paste in a blender with a splash of water.
5. Heat 4 tbsp oil in a frying pan and fry the paste over medium heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring, until it darkens and the oil separates.
6. Add the tamarind water, sugar and 1/2 tsp salt. Simmer 3-4 minutes to a thick, glossy sambal. Taste and balance sweet, sour and salt.
7. Serve mounds of coconut rice with a spoonful of sambal, the anchovies and peanuts, cucumber slices and a halved egg alongside.