Nasi Lemak

Coconut Rice, Sambal Egg, Fried Ikan Bilis (anchovies) with Peanuts, Cucumber, Luncheon Meat

In his current job, Hubby doesn't travel as much as he used to. Or he would actually travel within Italy (mainly to Torino) say about once or twice a week and since we are 2-4 hours away from almost everywhere else in the football boot Peninsular, he could usually complete his trip within the day. Then he was recently in Germany, Austria etc. And still back within the day. A miracle, if you consider the fact that the nearest airport is in Bologna which is an hour away and far from being an international destination.

Well, the thing is that if he travels with his boss, he gets to use the company's private jet or helicopter. The machine doesn't seem very stable, but it does help to save travelling time and the hassle at most airports.

So moral of the story is that Hubby is back home for dinner most evenings. And when he told me that he would be home late on Tuesday because he had been invited to a colleague's farewell party (at the Golf Club just opposite our house) after his business trip to Austria, I quickly whipped out my precious can of coconut milk and last packet of dried ikan bilis - ready to cook myself a Nasi Lemak in his absence.

Coconut milk used to be easily and cheaply available at my friendly neighbourhood Pennymarkt in Stuttgart. Now the one can I last saw here (and refused to purchase) costs 5 times more. Thank God that I wisely bought 4 cans before I left Germany. But there is still hope as I've yet to visit the Chinese shop that is an hour away from my place. Once I finish my war stock and become desperate enough, I'll make the journey. For the moment, IKEA has my priority (and petrol).

So back to this Singapore favourite. I made it for lunch, had some for tea and finished it at dinner. With lots of help from the Babies (Eldest Son's reaction was just "Blegh!") who though burning at the tongue gamely ate the rice encore and encore. The rice, of course, liberally drowning in Singlong's Nasi Lemak Sambal Chilli sauce (no, I didn't make it myself this time as I've given all my chillies to Pris and have yet to find any here). My one and only bottle of emergency sambal chilli sauce.

Coconut Rice :

400ml Coconut Milk

360g Jasmine Rice

1 Tsp Salt

Knotted Pandan Leaves (or extract)

120ml thicker Coconut Milk

Cook the rice with the coconut milk, salt and pandan leaves. When the rice is cooked and dry, turn off the heat, pour in the thicker coconut milk (I added cream to normal coconut milk) and cover for 15 minutes for the rice to absorb the milk. Fluff up rice with a fork before serving.

When I looked at the luncheon meat, I kept thinking of Otah Otah (Fish Paste in Banana Leaf). So that's probably what I'm gonna make sometime soon.

PS : Pris, here's the Nasi Lemak Sambal recipe - 100g Dried chillis, 20g Fresh Chillis, 1 clove Garlic, 100g Shallots, 55g Shrimp Paste, 1/3 can Coconut milk, 1/4 cup Oil, 4 Tbsps Sugar, 1/4 Tsp Salt, Tamarind or Lime Juice. Soften dried chillis in water, grind them with the fresh chillis, garlic and shallots. Heat up the oil, fry shrimp paste and the chilli paste till fragrant, add in coconut milk, sugar etc.