Everyday Kitchen

Indonesian/Malaysian · Breakfast

Nasi Lemak

Draft recipe — not kitchen-tested
Non-vegEasy

Diet: Non-veg

Nasi Lemak is a Indonesian/Malaysian dish. Keep the rice covered during cooking and resting.

Prep
20 min
Cook
25 min
Rest, soak, marinate or chill
10 min
Total
55 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
Cuisine
Indonesian/Malaysian
Course
Breakfast

Estimated times for the original batch. Preparation, cooking and listed waiting time are included. Batch cooking can take longer.

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Representative photograph of Nasi Lemak. The photo includes fried chicken and a coconut drink as accompaniments.
The photo includes fried chicken and a coconut drink as accompaniments. Representative photograph of Nasi Lemak. Garnishes and presentation may differ. This is not a tested result of this draft. Photo credit and licence
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Ingredients

Metric weights use grams. US weights use ounces; liquids use fluid ounces. Conversions are rounded. Spoon measures use 5 ml teaspoons and 15 ml tablespoons; cups use 240 ml.

Serves 4

Choose any positive whole number of servings. Ingredients and measured amounts in steps scale together. Times, temperatures and equipment stay unchanged. For larger yields, cook separate original-size batches. Counted ingredients can become fractions; beat eggs before dividing them. Fixed correction-water checks remain fixed.

Rice

Sambal

Serve

Equipment

Kitchen scales; measuring jug and spoons; knife; cutting board; mixing bowls; saucepan with lid; sieve; heavy frying pan; spatula; heatproof spoon; spatula.

Check all product labels and cross-contact. Diet groups describe this listed draft, not every substitution.

Steps

Rice · About 15 min

  1. Rinse rice from 300 g jasmine rice, 250 ml coconut milk, 250 ml water, 2 pandan leaves, ½ tsp salt; combine with its remaining ingredients. Simmer covered 15 minutes; rest 10 minutes.

Sambal · About 10 min

  1. Cook onion in oil from 20 ml neutral oil, 100 g onion, chopped, 30 g sambal oelek, 15 g sugar, 15 g tamarind paste, 50 ml water 5 minutes. Add remaining sambal ingredients; simmer 10 minutes.

Serve · About 7 min

  1. Remove pandan. Divide rice and sambal among plates with 4 hard-boiled eggs, 150 g cucumber, sliced, 40 g roasted peanuts.

    Check: The rice grains are tender and the coconut liquid is absorbed.

Tips

  • Keep the rice covered during cooking and resting.
  • Use the texture and doneness checks in the method; cooking times depend on your pan and heat.

Substitutions

  • Use cashews instead of peanuts.

Storage

  • Cool in shallow portions and refrigerate promptly, ideally within one hour. Keep at 4°C / 40°F or below and use within 24 hours.
  • Reheat cooked rice only once, until steaming hot throughout at 74°C / 165°F. Keep cold rice dishes refrigerated until serving.

Make ahead

  • Prepare the measured ingredients for Nasi Lemak one day ahead. Refrigerate chopped vegetables and other perishable ingredients separately; complete the staged cooking on the serving day.

FAQ

What matters most when making Nasi Lemak?

Keep the rice covered during cooking and resting.

What can I substitute in Nasi Lemak?

Use cashews instead of peanuts.

Can I prepare Nasi Lemak ahead?

Prepare the measured ingredients for Nasi Lemak one day ahead. Refrigerate chopped vegetables and other perishable ingredients separately; complete the staged cooking on the serving day.

Food safety references

FoodSafety.gov: cooking temperatures · Food Standards Agency: rice storage and reheating

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