Fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf, served with sambal, fried anchovies, roasted peanuts, cucumber, and a hard-boiled egg — a complete Bruneian breakfast.
Nutrition & Info
Allergen Warnings
Equipment Needed
Presentation Guide
Vessel: banana leaf on plate
Garnishes: cucumber slices, pandan leaf
Accompaniments: extra sambal, hot tea
Instructions
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1
Cook rice with coconut milk, water, pandan leaves, and salt in a rice cooker until fluffy.
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2
Blend soaked dried chillies, shallots, and garlic into a paste for the sambal.
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3
Fry the paste in oil until dark and fragrant, then add tamarind paste, sugar, and salt. Cook until thick.
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4
Fry anchovies in a little oil until crispy. Drain on paper towels.
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5
Arrange coconut rice on plates with sambal, fried anchovies, roasted peanuts, sliced cucumber, and halved hard-boiled eggs.
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6
Serve warm with extra sambal on the side.
Did You Know?
In Brunei, nasi lemak is so essential to daily life that it is sold wrapped in banana leaves at almost every roadside stall from as early as 5 AM.
Chef's Notes
Equipment Tips
- rice cooker
- small frying pan
- mortar and pestle
Garnishing
cucumber slices, pandan leaf
Accompaniments
extra sambal, hot tea
The Story Behind Nasi Lemak
Nasi lemak is a shared heritage across the Malay world, but Brunei's version is distinguished by the quality of its sambal and the generous use of local coconut milk. It has been a staple breakfast for centuries, originally wrapped in banana leaves for plantation workers and fishermen heading out at dawn.
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