FRAGRANT COCONUT RICE

The importance of rice to the Malaysian way of life is evidenced by the synonymous meaning of nasi (‘steamed rice’) with ‘food’ in Malay. To be consistent with the Malaysian style of eating, rice would be served with 3 or 4 other dishes, such as a curry, soup, stir-fry, salad, or sambal. No Malaysian meal is complete without rice.

Since Arokiasamy was her home country’s first official food ambassador, any individual preparing this recipe can rest assured they are making authentic Malaysian cuisine. The author herself describes this dish as her personal comfort food, which she recalls eating in village restaurants growing up.

This recipe is a traditional dish called nasi lemak. The recipe is significant because it demonstrates how Malaysian cuisine was influenced by multiple cultures: Indian, Chinese, Nyonya, Malay, and Portuguese. This dish can be consumed alongside a vast array of dishes from these different cultures.