First Published Sep 18th 2015

I have been on a sambal mission lately. The main reason: I have these precious bottles of home-made crispy ikan bilis and peanuts couriered from Singapore. Now that I have the sambal chilli handy, it is time to whip up the Nasi Lemak. The cast: coconut rice, crispy ikan bilis and peanuts, Sambal Telur (Eggs), Sambal Kangkong, and Ngor Hiang. Sedap!

Updated May 30th 2020. Another Covid-19 shelter-in-place weekend. It has become a routine to go through the recipes and cook my favorite dishes again. I made a jar of sambal chilli last week to get ahead of myself for Nasi Lemak this weekend. Knowing that going home this year is not an option anymore, I’ve shelved my hope to courier ikan bilis from Singapore. My last few attempts at ikan bilis and peanuts had pretty good results, made it again today, still good I replaced Ngor Hiang with bbq chicken wings this time and tweeked the sambal egg recipe by adding diced tomatoes. All in all, a great meal for a shelter-in-place weekend.

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Ingredients

For the rice:

• 2 cups jasmine rice
• 400 ml coconut milk
• water (add enough for cooking 2-cup rice in your rice cooker)
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 screw pandan leaves

For the eggs:

• 6 hard-boiled eggs
• 2/3 cup sambal chilli
• 1 tsp coconut sugar
• 1/8 tsp msg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp water
• 2 Tbsp coconut milk
• 1 roma tomato, seeded and diced
• oil for frying

For the kangkong (water convolvulus):

• 1 lb kangkong
• 4 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1/3 cup sambal chilli
• 2 tsp coconut sugar
• 4 Tbsp coconut milk
• pinch of salt

Directions

To prepare the coconut rice:

1. Wash and drain the rice and place it in the rice cooker.
2. Add the coconut milk, salt, and pandan leaves. Add enough water to the 2-cup mark for white rice.
3. Cook per instructions of the rice cooker.

To prepare the sambal eggs:

1. Shell boiled eggs and dry completely with a paper towel.
2. Heat the oil in wok over medium heat. Add the eggs and fry until the skin is slightly blistered. I kept the wok covered while frying the eggs as the oil will splatter. Remove and drain on paper towel.
3. Heat the sambal chilli until the oil separates from the paste.
4. Add the salt, msg, water, diced tomato, and coconut milk. Stir well for a minute and spoon sauce over the eggs.

To prepare the sambal kangkong:

1. Cut the kangkong into 3-inch lengths, separate the leaves from the stalks. Omit the tough ends of the stalk. Wash well and drain. Set aside.
2. Heat coconut oil in wok over medium high heat.
3. Add the sambal chilli and stir fry for a minute.
4. Turn up heat and add the stalks and stir fry for two minutes. Cover and cook for another minute.
5. Add the sugar and pinch of salt. Stir well, then add the leaves. Continue to stir fry until the leaves are wilted and mixed well with the sambal.

To serve:

1. Line a serving plate with clean banana leave. Scoop a serving of the coconut rice onto the leaf.
2. Arrange a serving portion each of the sambal kangkong, egg, ngor hiang, and anchovies around the coconut rice.
3. Enjoy.