The Malaysian street-food dish of coconut-milk rice served with sambal, anchovies, peanuts, cucumber, and egg is nasi lemak.
The name comes from Malay: nasi means “rice,” while lemak refers to richness, traditionally supplied by coconut milk. The rice is commonly cooked with pandan leaves, which add fragrance, and may also include ginger or lemongrass. Vendors often wrap individual portions in banana leaves or paper for takeaway.
A classic serving includes sambal, fried anchovies called ikan bilis, roasted peanuts, cucumber slices, and a hard-boiled or fried egg. Fried chicken, beef rendang, squid, or other additions may be offered, but these are accompaniments rather than requirements of the basic dish.
Nasi lemak is strongly associated with Malaysia and is also widely eaten in Brunei, Singapore, and parts of Indonesia. It is often described as Malaysia’s national dish, although it began as a Malay breakfast and is now eaten throughout the day. It should not be confused with nasi goreng, which is fried rice rather than rice cooked in coconut milk.