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–+ servings

Nasi Lemak

Nasi lemak is a beloved Malaysian dish often considered the country’s national dish — though it’s also popular in Singapore, Indonesia, and southern Thailand.
At its heart, it’s fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk, sometimes with pandan leaves added for extra aroma. Traditionally, the rice is served with:
Sambal — a spicy chili paste that gives the dish its kick
Ikan bilis — crispy fried anchovies
Roasted peanuts
Hard‑boiled or fried egg
Cucumber slices
That’s the classic version, but there are many variations. You’ll often find it paired with extras like fried chicken, rendang (slow‑cooked beef or chicken in spiced coconut gravy), or even squid sambal.
It’s usually eaten for breakfast, but honestly, Malaysians will tell you it’s great any time of the day.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine International, Malaysian
Servings 4 servings
Calories 785 kcal
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Ingredients
 
 

For the Coconut Rice

  • 2 cups jasmine or long-grain rice
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 2–3 pandan leaves knotted; optional but lovely for aroma
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 slice fresh ginger about 2 cm

For the Sambal (Chili Sauce)

  • 10 dried chilies soaked in hot water to soften
  • 2 fresh red chilies for extra freshness
  • 3 shallots
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 teaspoon belacan shrimp paste – optional but authentic
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar or more to taste
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 tablespoon tamarind juice mix tamarind paste with a little warm water
  • 2 tablespoons oil for frying

For the Accompaniments

Instructions
 

Cook the Coconut Rice

  • Rinse rice until the water runs clear.
  • Combine rice, water, coconut milk, pandan leaves, salt, and ginger in a rice cooker or pot.
  • Cook as usual. When done, fluff gently and keep warm.

Prepare the Sambal

  • Blend chilies, shallots, garlic, and belacan into a smooth paste.
  • Heat oil in a pan on medium. Add the paste and stir‑fry until fragrant and the oil separates (about 10 minutes).
  • Add tamarind juice, salt, sugar, and water. Simmer gently until thickened and slightly dark red—about another 10 minutes. Taste and adjust for sweetness and spiciness.

Prepare the Accompaniments

  • Fry anchovies until crisp, set aside.
  • Toast or roast peanuts until aromatic.
  • Boil or fry eggs to your liking.
  • Slice cucumber.

To Serve

  • Scoop a mound of coconut rice onto each plate. Arrange sambal, fried anchovies, peanuts, cucumber slices, and an egg around it.
Start Cooking
Disclaimer

Some parts of recipe maybe AI-generated.

Nutrition

Calories: 785kcal (39%)Carbohydrates: 88g (29%)Protein: 29g (58%)Fat: 36g (55%)Saturated Fat: 15g (94%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 203mg (68%)Sodium: 2169mg (94%)Potassium: 837mg (24%)Fiber: 5g (21%)Sugar: 5g (6%)Vitamin A: 871IU (17%)Vitamin C: 38mg (46%)Calcium: 181mg (18%)Iron: 6mg (33%)
Disclaimer

Nutritional information for this recipe is an approximation and is not to be construed as medical advice.

Keyword aromatic, coconut, comfort food, fried, nutty, one-pot, spicy, traditional
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