Sambal Nasi Lemak (Coconut Rice Sambal)

coconut rice

🥗Healthier: quinoa

💰Cheaper: white rice

Quinoa is a healthier grain option, while white rice is more affordable.

fried anchovies

🥗Healthier: baked anchovies

💰Cheaper: canned tuna

Baked anchovies are healthier, and canned tuna is a cost-effective substitute.

sambal

🥗Healthier: homemade chili paste

💰Cheaper: store-bought chili sauce

Homemade chili paste can be healthier and tailored to taste.

Remove the hard top part of the dried chili and empty all its seeds.

Cut the dried chilies, each about 3cm in length.

Bring 1 liter of water to a simmer in a pot over MEDIUM heat until small bubbles start to form, and it begins to steam.

Add the dried chilies into the pot. Simmer the dried chilies for 1 min then switch OFF the heat.

Ladle out about 500ml of water from the pot into a cup. Keep the simmered dried chilies with the leftover liquid aside to soften until the liquid cools slightly.

Mix tamarind paste with half cup of hot water.

Use a spoon or fork to mash the tamarind paste in the hot water.

Pour the mashed tamarind mixture into a sieve over a bowl, stirring while pressing it through with the spoon without lifting the sieve up.

Keep the strained liquid collected in the bowl aside, and discard the fibrous pulp and seeds in the sieve.

Shave the palm sugar block into smaller pieces. Fold each pandan leaf in half and securely tie it. Blend together shallots, ginger, and garlic until they form a relatively fine paste. Blend dried chilies with the leftover liquid in the food processor until a smooth paste is achieved.

Heat a pan and stir-fry the anchovies until they turn crispy and golden-brown. Transfer the anchovies to a mortar and use a pestle to pound them into a relatively fine powder.

Heat up the oil in the pan previously used to fry the anchovies over MEDIUM heat until it is hot for frying. Add the pandan leaves into the pan and stir briefly to infuse their fragrance into the oil. Then, add blended shallots, ginger, and garlic mixture into the pan. Stir-fry this mixture over MEDIUM heat for about 3 mins, or until it turns a golden brown color. Afterward, add the blended dried chilies into the pan and thoroughly stir-fry the mixture.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens