Nasi lemak

October 30, 2013

Time:2 hours +Serves:4

A recipe from the Good Food collection.

Ingredients

Rendang

2 onions, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
400 ml (13 fl oz) tin coconut milk
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1.5 kg (3 lb) chuck steak, cut into cubes
4–6 small red chillies, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 stem lemon grass (white part only),
bruised and cut lengthways
2 teaspoons grated palm sugar

Coconut rice

1 1/2 cups (300 g/10 oz) long-grain rice
2 red Asian shallots
2 slices ginger
pinch of fenugreek seeds
2 pandanus leaves, knotted
400 ml (13 fl oz) tin coconut milk

Sambal ikan bilis

1/4 cup (60 ml/2 fl oz) oil
5 red Asian shallots, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 stem lemon grass (white part only), thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon shrimp paste
2 tablespoons chilli paste
100 g (3 1/2 oz) ikan bilis, soaked and washed
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons lime juice

Method

Step 1
To make the rendang, process the onion, garlic and 1 tablespoon of water to form a smooth paste. Pour the coconut milk into a wok and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, or until the milk is reduced by half and the oil has separated. Do not allow the milk to brown. Add the coriander, fennel, cumin and cloves to the pan and stir for 1 minute. Add the meat and cook for 2 minutes, or until it browns. Add the chilli, lemon juice, lemon grass, sugar and prepared onion mixture. Cook, covered, over medium heat for about 2 hours, or until the liquid is reduced and thickened. Stir often.
Step 2
Uncover and continue cooking until the oil separates again. Take care not to burn the sauce. The curry is cooked when it is brown and dry.
Step 3
Meanwhile, to make the coconut rice, put the rice, shallots, ginger, fenugreek, pandanus leaves and 1 teaspoon salt in a saucepan. Pour enough coconut milk over the rice so there is 2 cm (3/4 inch) of liquid above the surface of the rice. Cover and cook until dry, then remove the pandanus leaf, sprinkle the rest of the coconut milk over the rice, then fluff up the grains. Stand for 15 minutes, until the coconut milk is absorbed.
Step 4
To make the sambal, heat the oil in a wok, add the shallots, garlic, lemon grass, shrimp paste and chilli paste, and stir-fry until fragrant. Add the ikan bilis and stir-fry for a few more minutes. Mix in the sugar and lime juice. Serve with the rendang and rice.

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