If I were to introduce a local food to foreign tourists, it would definitely be the nasi lemak, which can
be found in almost every part of Malaysia. The best beverage to have with nasi lemak is kopi O –
locally brewed black coffee, served hot.
Nasi lemak is rice cooked with coconut milk, ginger, and fragrant pandan leaves.
Traditionally, it was cooked on the stove and required lengthy preparation time and close attention.
This is because the rice has to be stirred from time to time to ensure the coconut milk mixes well
with it. The necessary condiments include fried groundnuts, fried anchovies, boiled egg, and a few
slices of cucumber. Nasi lemak is best eaten with sambal, but not just any kind of sambal. It has to be
a reddish-brown color and taste sweet as well as spicy at the same time. Authentic nasi lemak has to
be wrapped in banana leaves and newspaper to make it smell and look right. Hunting for the best
nasi lemak in town has always been one of Malaysian’s favourite quest but of course everyone has
different preferences.
The winner of Masterchef Australia 2017 was a Malaysian who lived there. For the final
challenge that helped her win the grand title, she cooked Nasi Lemak, the favourite dish of her
childhood in her homeland. That simple meal became famous overnight, putting nasi lemak in the
list of exquisite cuisine from all over the world.
A recent survey carried out internationally in January 2018 named nasi lemak as the
healthiest dish from Malaysia, all the more reason for health-conscious foreigners to try the dish.
The humble meal contains carbohydrate, protein and even fibre in the form of cucumber slices.
Sometimes it is also served with fried chicken or chicken rendang which is another famous dish from
Malaysia.