PenangTime.com: Recipe Guide
NASI LEMAK
Authentic home-style preparation with local flair
CHEF'S SNAPSHOT
This recipe reflects Penang's vibrant street heritage. Master heat control, prep everything first, and work with confidence for authentic flavour that captures the soul of Malaysian cuisine.
Have all ingredients within reach for speed and smooth execution.
High heat brings depth and the signature "wok hei" — don't over-stir.
Follow the sequence — timing and order shape perfect results.
Ingredients
Gather these fresh ingredients before you start cooking. Quality ingredients make all the difference. If an ingredient has no measurement, the amount is up to your discretion.
- For the Rice:
- 2 cups rice
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 1 cup water
- 2 pandan leaves (knotted)
- 1-inch ginger (bruised)
- 1 stalk lemongrass (bruised)
- 1/2 tsp salt.
- For the Sambal:
- 15 dried chilies (soaked)
- 5 shallots
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp belacan (shrimp paste)
- 1 onion (sliced)
- 1/4 cup tamarind juice
- 2 tbsp sugar
- salt to taste.
- For the Garnish:
- 4 hard-boiled eggs (halved)
- 1/2 cup fried anchovies (ikan bilis)
- 1/2 cup roasted peanuts
- 1 cucumber (sliced).
Method
Follow each stage deliberately. Technique and timing shape the final texture, aroma and depth of flavour.
- Cook the Rice: Wash the rice and place it in a rice cooker. Add coconut milk, water, pandan leaves, ginger, lemongrass, and salt. Stir and cook.
- Prepare the Sambal Paste: Blend the soaked dried chilies, shallots, garlic, and belacan until smooth.
- Cook the Sambal: Heat oil in a pan and sauté the blended paste until fragrant and the oil separates. Add the sliced onion and cook until soft.
- Finish the Sambal: Stir in the tamarind juice, sugar, and salt. Simmer over low heat until the sambal thickens.
- Prepare Garnishes: While the sambal is cooking, fry the anchovies until crispy and roast the peanuts.
- Serve: Fluff the cooked rice. Serve the fragrant rice with a generous spoonful of sambal, a hard-boiled egg, fried anchovies, peanuts, and cucumber slices.
Insider Tips
Expert advice to elevate your cooking and achieve authentic restaurant-quality results.
- To get fluffy coconut rice, use a mix of thick and thin coconut milk.
- The sambal should be cooked over low heat to allow the flavours to meld and to prevent it from burning.
- The balance of sweet, spicy, and sour in the sambal is key, so taste and adjust the seasoning as you cook.
Tried this recipe?
Head over to the food guide page to discover top spots serving authentic Nasi Lemak in Penang and compare flavour profiles.