Nasi lemak

To prepare the Nasi Lemak (coconut rice)

a. Place washed rice, salt and knotted pandan leaves in an electric rice cooker.
b. Pour coconut milk over the rice and leave to soak for 30mins.
c. Cook the rice.
d. Once rice is cooked, leave it warm in the rice cooker.

To prepare the basic Sambal (chilli paste)
a. Heat the oil in wok, saute blended onion paste until fragrant.
b. Add in blended dried chilli paste and continue tumis (cook) for 30mins under low heat.
c. Add water and sugar and continue tumis (cook) for another 20mins under low heat.
d. Lastly add in sliced big onion.

** blended onion paste=Bombay onion ( a lot) + garlic (little) + shallot (little)

** Must put a lot of blended onion, oil and sugar. If you prefer stronger taste ofsambal, you may add in shrimp paste (belacan) .
** You may add in ikan bilis, prawn, sotong & etc to the basic sambal paste.

malay traditional food

Homemade ketupat daun palas

*makes 35pcs

400g glutinous rice
1 and ¼ cup of coconut milk
1tsp salt

Daun palas

Method
1. Cook rice, coconut milk and salt in a rice cooker or steam the rice till half cooked.
2. Fill in half cooked rice into ketupat pouch and wrap accordingly.
3. Boiled ketupat in hot water over low heat for 1-2 hours.
4. Drain and let it cool down for several hours before serve.

beff rendang

Beef Rendang

600g beef cubes
1 turmeric leave, shredded finely
6 kaffir lime leaves, torn few pieces
3 lemongrass, pounded and torn 
1 and ½ cup coconut milk
1pc tamarind peel
7tbsp kerisik (toasted coconut)
4 tbsp cooking oil

Spice ingredients
1 big onion
4 shallots
4 garlics
1” ginger
2" fresh turmeric
small piece of galangal (blue ginger)
3 lemongrass (white part only)
2tbsp homemade chili paste or 15pcs dried chilies (boiled in hot water and de-seeded)

2tbsp palm sugar or to taste
1 and 1/2tsp salt or taste

Method
1. Blend spice ingredients till smooth paste.
2. Heat oil in a pressure cooker/pot, add spice paste and sauté till aroma.
3. Add in beef cube, lemongrass and Kaffir lime leaves, mix well.
4. Add in coconut milk and tamarind peel, stir to blend well.
5. If use pressure cooker, once 2nd ring rise, turn heat to low, and cook for 25mins.
6. If use normal pot, simmer for 1-1/2hour.
7. Add in kerisik, seasoning with salt and sugar, adjust taste accordingly.
8. Constantly stir till gravy thicken.
9. Serve with nasi lemak, or ketupat or steamed rice.