Nasi Lemak

Traditionally eaten for breakfast in Malaysia but most often eaten for dinner when we get back to the van after a day on the trails. I cook my eggs for only 5 or 6 minutes for a very soft boiled egg with runny yolk. I like to mix it with the rice and sambal as I eat, creating swirls of yellow and red throughout the rice. If you prefer a hard boiled egg with a jammier yolk, cook the eggs for a bit longer, say 8 or 9 minutes. 

Yield

2 Servings 

Ingredients list

1 pouch of cooked rice (basmati or jasmine) 250g/8.8oz

2 Tbsp lemongrass paste

2 Tbsp ginger paste 

½ can coconut milk

4 eggs

½ cucumber, sliced into half moons

2 small handfuls roasted, salted peanuts 

Sambal Oelek chili paste

Method 

Heat a saucepan or large deep frying pan, drop in the lemongrass and ginger paste, it should sizzle when it hits the pan. Fry for a minute.

Tip in the rice and stir through the lemongrass and ginger pastes, making sure that the rice is nicely coated. 

Pour in just under half a can of coconut milk and bring to a simmer, stirring regularly. You want the rice to absorb all the liquid, you may want to add a splash more if this happens quickly. Cook until the rice is soft and the liquid absorbed, usually 5 or 6 minutes. 

As you are cooking the rice, put another pan on for the eggs and bring the water to a rapid boil. Also prepare the cucumber. 

Cook your boiled eggs according to taste. For a soft boiled egg with runny yolk about 6 minutes, for a hard boiled egg with a jammy yolk about 8 minutes, for a solid yolk 10 minutes or more. If possible, plunge into cold water to stop the cooking process when the time is up. Not easy with limited space, but it’s worth it. 

To serve, I like to place a mound of rice in the middle of a plate surrounded by peanuts and cucumber. Eggs are peeled, cut in half and nestled next to the rice. A generous dollop of sambal oelek brings it all together. 

Enjoy!