FOODIE WEEKEND : Coconut flavored Steamed Rice

In my country Malaysia, coconut is widely used in everyday cooking especially in Malay dishes.  Back in the past, it was a normal thing for families to have their own coconut trees in their backyards among other trees like of banana, mango, papaya and guava.  Well, now things have changed and it is very rare to see coconut trees in someone's backyard especially if you live in a big city like Kuala Lumpur.  Your best bet to see coconut trees would be at the beach!

Anyway, this dish called 'Nasi Lemak' in the malay language (Nasi : Rice , Lemak : is the rich flavour produced by the coconut) is basically rice steamed in coconut milk.  Can you imagine the flavor? It is amazing, so amazing you can even eat it on its own!  

Rice is a staple in Malaysia.  In the Malay community especially, some still eat rice 3 times a day for breakfast, lunch and dinner, something that I wouldn't do personally but that is the fact.  I think this is because originally in the past, Malays were mostly farmers or fishermen and doing these hard work they needed all the energy carbs could give, hence the rice 3 times a day!

This recipe is best cooked in the rice cooker.  You could cook it on the normal stove but seriously I am not an expert without my rice cooker *shame*

Nasi Lemak / Coconut flavored Steamed Rice

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

2 cups of basmati rice or jasmin rice. 

1 can of coconut milk

3 inches of ginger, roughly sliced

a pinch of salt

Pandan leaf optional (for fragrance)

Method

Wash the rice thoroughly and toss the final batch of water

Pour in the coconut milk and add in water until the rice is submerged.

Keep adding the water if needed until the water level is an inch above the surface of the rice.

Add in the salt and ginger and stir slowly to mix well.

Knot the pandan leaf and drop it in

Cook in the rice cooker until cooked.

Serve with fried chicken or Chicken in Chili and Tomato sauce.  Recipe coming soon!