Nasi is rice in Malay, while lemak means fat, though when we say lemak, it often refers to coconut milk fat. So nasi lemak often refers to coconut rice. It is commonly eaten in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. My mom, who was born in Indonesia but raised in Singapore, likes to make nasi lemak. So one day, instead of using my recipe, I just stood next to her and requested she cook. I just took down her recipe. It was so easy.
I’m not sure what other people’s recipes look like, because nasi lemak is really easy to make, and I am happy to keep and document my own mother’s version. So here it is.
The sambal ikan bilis (or anchovies) are so good, we are constantly out of it. The chicken wings are so crispy, yet so easy when we use rice flour. Rice flour has no gluten, and anything fried in rice flour has to be crispy and succulent. That’s one reason why Indonesian fried stuff are always so wonderful.
The sambal ikan bilis recipe is here, and the sambal kang kong recipe is at http://www.singaporefood.me/sambal-kang-kong-%e9%a9%ac%e6%9d%a5%e9%a3%8e%e5%85%89/.
Mum’s Nasi Lemak
Ingredients
Rice
- 2 cups of rice
- 1/4 cup of coconut cream
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 11/2 cup of water
- Handful pandam leaves
Fried Chicken Wings
- 10 chicken wings
- 2 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 Tbsp curry powder
- 1 egg beaten
- 1/2 cup rice flour
Instructions
Coconut rice, or nasi lemak
- Put everything in a pot and cook the rice as per normal.
Fried Chicken Wings
- Clean the wings and pour boiled hot water over the chicken. Drain.
- Season with other ingredients.
- Deep fry the chicken wings in 2 cups of cooking oil in medium heat until golden brown on both sides.