As Malaysians, nothing speaks to our hearts quite like ‘nasi lemak’.

It has a circular narrative. There is no beginning or end. Just an endless sensation of pleasure that transfixes the palate with every bite.

Like many of life’s simplest pleasures, this dish is founded on humble origins.

A beautiful meal made from a few basic ingredients, like our nation, it’s the combination that makes it special.

When all the different components come together, it reveals a symphony unlike any other. Let this be the message we take away as we head towards Merdeka.

Ingredients (Serves 3-4 portions)

Rice

• 2 cups jasmine rice, washed and drained
• 1 red shallot, roughly sliced
• 2.5 cm piece ginger, finely sliced
• 2 pandan leaves, tied into a knot
• 1.5 cups water
• Half cup thick coconut milk

Sambal

• 25-30 dried red chillies, deseeded and roughly chopped
• 8 large fresh red chillies, deseeded and roughly chopped
• 7 red shallots (or 3 medium red onions)
• 6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons dried shrimp, toasted until fragrant
• 3 lemongrass stalks, white base finely sliced and green tops tied in knots
• 2 tablespoons tamarind water (or 1 teaspoon tamarind paste)
• 4-5 teaspoons palm sugar

Toppings

• 1 cucumber, sliced in rounds
• 1 cup peanuts, fried in oil until golden
• 1 cup ikan bilis, fried in oil until golden
• 2-4 eggs, hardboiled and halved

Method

Sambal

• Bring a pot of water to the boil. Add dried red chillies to the pot and allow to cook on a low simmer for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• To prepare the sambal base add dried red chillies, fresh red chillies, shallots, garlic, dried shrimp and lemongrass (white base only) to a blender.
• Blitz until a very fine paste is achieved. Add one to two tablespoons of oil or water to help bind everything together, if needed.
• To cook the sambal, heat a cup of oil in a wok or large pot on a low-medium flame.
• Add the sambal paste and cook gently on low heat for 15-20 minutes, or until the oil splits.
• Add half cup water and cook again for another 15-20 minutes, or until the oil splits.
• Add tamarind, palm sugar and salt to taste, stir well to combine and allow to cook for a further 15-20 minutes until the oil rises and splits.
• The sambal should have turned a deep red colour and be evenly cooked throughout at this stage.

Rice

• To prepare the rice, begin by heating a pot or pan on a low-medium flame. Add sliced shallots and cook on low for 30 seconds until they become slightly translucent.
• Remove and add to the rice, in a pot or rice cooker. Add ginger, pandan leaves, water and coconut milk.
• Cook until fluffy and fragrant (the rice should not be too soft when fully cooked).
• Plate the rice in individual portions. Then serve with sambal, egg, peanuts, ikan billis and fresh cucumber.

@theorangesieve serves up recipes from the heart, inspired by travels near and far. It’s all about food that humbly invites you to discover the truth about flavour, that is: the people, the culture and the stories behind them. The kind of food that leaves you with a smile for reasons you can’t quite put your finger on.