Nasi Lemak (Coconut Rice Breakfast Plate)

Method

1. 1

   Rinse the rice, then cook it in the coconut milk plus water with a pinch of salt (add ginger or a knotted pandan if you have it), covered, until the grains are tender and the liquid is absorbed.

2. 2

   Meanwhile, hard-boil the eggs: cover with cold water, bring to a boil, then simmer 9 minutes.

   💡 Drop them straight into cold water after simmering — it stops the yolk going grey and makes them easier to peel.

3. 3

   Blend the soaked chilies and shallots into a smooth paste for the sambal.

4. 4

   Fry the paste until it darkens and the raw smell is gone, then season with tamarind, sugar and salt into a sweet-hot sambal.

   💡 Nasi lemak sambal leans sweeter than you expect — that's authentic, not a mistake.

5. 5

   In the same pan, fry the anchovies until crisp and toast the peanuts until golden.

6. 6

   Peel the eggs and halve them; slice the cucumber.

7. 7

   Plate rice with sambal, anchovies, peanuts, egg and cucumber. Banana leaf optional, correct.