Malaysian Nasi Lemak

Description

Nasi Lemak is delicious Malaysian coconut rice, drizzled with an anchovy and hot chile sauce, then topped with fried anchovies, fried peanuts, sliced cucumber, and hard-boiled egg.

Ingredients

• Rice
  • 2 cups coconut milk
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups long grain rice, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (1/2 inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 whole bay leaf
  • Salt to taste
• Garnish
  • 1 cup oil for frying
  • 1 cup raw peanuts
  • 1(4 ounce) package white anchovies, washed
  • 4 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved
  • 1 medium cucumber, sliced
• Sauce(Sambal)
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • 3 medium shallots, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 teaspoons chili paste
  • 1 tablespoon water, or more as needed(optional)
  • 1(4 ounce) package white anchovies, washed
  • ¼ cup tamarind juice
  • 3 tablespoons white sugar
  • salt to taste

Directions

1. Make the rice: Stir coconut milk, water, rice, fresh ginger, ground ginger, bay leaf, and salt together in a medium saucepan.
   Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Discard bay leaf and keep rice warm until garnish and sauce are ready.
2. While the rice is cooking, make the garnish: Heat 1 cup vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in peanuts and cook briefly, until lightly browned.
   Remove peanuts with a slotted spoon and place onto paper towels to soak up excess grease.
3. Return the skillet to the stove. Stir in anchovies and cook, turning occasionally, until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels.
   Discard oil and wipe out the skillet.
4. Make the sauce: Heat oil in the clean skillet. Stir in onion, shallots, and garlic; cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Mix in chile paste and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally;
   if mixture is too dry, add water as needed. Stir in anchovies and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in tamarind juice, sugar, and salt; simmer until sauce is thick, about 5 minutes.
5. Ladle warm rice into bowls. Top with warm sauce, then top with peanuts, fried anchovies, hard-boiled eggs, and cucumber.
6. Enjoy