Steamed Nasi Lemak with Ikan Bilis Sambal (The Original Recipe)

Ingredients:

For rice:
500g rice, wash and drain
300g grated coconut without skin mix with 650ml water to obtain equal amount of milk
salt to taste
1 pc ginger (size of walnut), bruise
3 fragrant screwpine leaves, wash and tie into knot

For sambal:
30 dried chillies, soak till soft
2 onions
1 clove garlic
2 level tbsp dried silver fish, soak for 10-15 mins
5 tbsp oil
½ level tbsp tamarind pulp mix with 4 tbsp water
2 tbsp sugar
salt to taste
50g dried anchovies, remove head, split in two, wash, drain and dry well
2 tbsp coconut crumbs

For serving:
1 cucumber, peel then slice thick
6-8 pcs (35x25cm) rectangular banana leaves, scald with hot water then dry
16 pcs (8x8cm) square banana leaves, scald with hot water then dry


Method:

• For rice:
  Combine all the rice ingredients in a pot. Bring to boil then simmer till rice is cooked.
• For sambal:
  Using liquidiser, grind fine dried chillies, onions, garlic and silver fish. Use sufficient water to make a thick paste.
  Heat oil sufficient to fry ikan bilis till lightly brown but not crisp. Drain and keep aside.
  Heat 5 tbsp oil, add ground ingredients and cook till fragrant. Add tamarind juice, sugar and salt. Stir well then add fried ikan bilis and coconut crumbs. Cook for a further 5 minutes till sambal is of a thick consistency.
• To serve:
  Wrap rice and sambal in banana leaf. Alternatively, put a piece of banana leaf on a large platter, dish rice on leaf, arrange cucumber slices along the edge around rice and serve sambal in a separate dish.

Note: Nasi Lemak cooked this way is traditionally served for breakfast.