Print

Flavorful Malaysian Nasi Lemak Picnic Box Recipe Easy Homemade Guide

Malaysian Nasi Lemak Picnic Box Recipe - featured image
Print Recipe

A vibrant and comforting Malaysian classic featuring fragrant coconut rice, spicy sambal, crispy anchovies, boiled eggs, and fresh cucumber slices, perfect for picnics and quick lunches.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups jasmine rice (washed and drained)
  • 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
  • 1 1/4 cups water
  • 2 pandan leaves, knotted (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 10 dried red chilies, soaked and deseeded (adjust to taste)
  • 5 fresh red chilies
  • 4 shallots, peeled
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1-inch piece of belacan (shrimp paste), toasted
  • 1 tbsp tamarind paste
  • 2 tbsp palm sugar (or brown sugar)
  • Salt to taste
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil (for frying)
  • 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved
  • 1/2 cup fried crispy anchovies (ikan bilis)
  • 1/2 cup roasted peanuts
  • 1 cucumber, sliced thinly
  • Banana leaves or parchment paper (optional, for authentic packing)

Instructions

  1. Rinse 2 cups of jasmine rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Drain well.
  2. In a rice cooker or medium saucepan, combine rinsed rice, 1 1/2 cups coconut milk, 1 1/4 cups water, salt, and knotted pandan leaves. Stir gently to mix.
  3. If using a saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 18-20 minutes. Avoid lifting the lid during cooking. Once done, remove from heat and let it sit covered for 10 minutes.
  4. Drain soaked dried chilies. In a blender, combine soaked dried chilies, fresh red chilies, shallots, garlic, and toasted belacan. Blend into a smooth paste, adding a little water if needed to help blend but keep it thick.
  5. Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the sambal paste and stir-fry for 8-10 minutes until fragrant and oil starts to separate. Stir often to prevent burning.
  6. Add tamarind paste, palm sugar, and salt to taste. Cook another 5 minutes, stirring, until sambal thickens slightly. Adjust seasoning as needed.
  7. In a separate pan, fry anchovies over medium heat until crispy (about 3-4 minutes). Remove and drain on paper towels.
  8. In the same pan, lightly toast peanuts until golden, about 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
  9. Boil eggs in boiling water for 8-9 minutes for a firm yolk. Cool in ice water, peel, and halve.
  10. Assemble the picnic box by layering coconut rice at the bottom or center, arranging sambal on one side, and placing boiled eggs, cucumber slices, fried anchovies, and peanuts neatly around. Wrap with banana leaves if using.

Notes

If you don’t have a blender, finely chop sambal ingredients by hand for a coarser texture. Use medium heat when frying anchovies to avoid burning. Adjust dried chilies to control spice level. Sambal thickens as it cools. Store sambal separately to maintain freshness. Leftovers keep well up to 2 days refrigerated.

Nutrition

Keywords: Nasi Lemak, Malaysian recipe, coconut rice, sambal, picnic box, easy Malaysian food, traditional Malaysian dish

Find it online: https://crispcraving.com/flavorful-malaysian-nasi-lemak-picnic-box-recipe-easy-homemade-guide/