Nasi lemak is a ubiquitous and well loved staple dish in Malaysia and Singapore. It comes in many forms, reflecting our diverse communities. In its basic form, nasi lemak is typically just a small mound of white rice cooked by boiling or steaming with coconut milk, a bit of salt and sometimes aromatics like pandan leaf. The aromatic rice is eaten with sambal (spicy hot relish made with chili pepper), deep fried dried anchovies, fried peanut, boiled egg, and cucumber slices.
This basic form is served on a plate, or wrapped in banana leaf and newspaper in the shape of a cone or a boat. Nasi lemak is a very versatile dish. It can take many forms but will remain unmistakably nasi lemak as long as the basic elements of coconut rice and sambal are retained. To this, more ingredients can be added - from the humble fried selar kuning (scad) fish to fried chicken to grilled prawn and even lobster.
Another form commonly found in Malaysia and also Singapore, is the basic nasi lemak served together with a buffet of side dishes. The diner can choose from the entire array of ten to twenty dishes ranging from curries to fried goodies. The Malays and Chinese each have their own types of dishes in the side buffet. I will cover Malay nasi lemak in the another post. Within the Chinese community, the various sub-communities have their own variation of nasi lemak as we see in these three stalls in Kuala Lumpur.
At all these stalls, the basics of coconut rice and sambal are present. Each stall has their own sambal recipe which are preferred by their own loyal following. Some like Pudu Market (Ngai Chai) Nasi Lemak, their sambal is so good that it is the main draw of the stall.
The sides dishes vary according to the sub-community of the stall holder. At Nasi Lemak Chow Kit, their signature is the Hakka style deep fried & braised pork belly as the owners are Hakka. Over at Peel Road Nasi Lemak, the signature is their chicken rendang as the matriarch is Peranakan (but they only have this on Sat, Sun & Mon).
Curry wild boar is a common side dish at Malaysian Chinese nasi lemak stalls.
Jalan Peel Nasi Lemak "Wai Sek Kai" Chinese nasi lemak. The "glutton street" has been here at Peel Road for over forty years. This Chinese nasi lemak stall has been here for nearly thirty years. The food is cooked on site, so customers get freshly cooked dishes.
Some of the dishes are based on recipes from stall holder Michelle Auyong's mother who is Peranakan. Popular dishes include fried chicken, chicken rendang (Sat, Sun, Mon only), ayam masak merah, curry chicken, curry wild boar, curry mutton, curry potatoes, sambal squid, sambal petai (stinky bean), soy sauce chicken drumstick, soy sauce potato, fried luncheon meat (popular), stir fried bean sprout, long bean, cabbage, etc. It is a buffet of Chinese and Peranakan staples eaten with rice boiled in coconut milk.
From street side dining with limited portable tables and chairs, Peel Road Nasi Lemak now have comfortable, clean, bright indoor dining. Nevertheless, most customers still takeaway their food like in the old days.
Stall name: Nasi Lemak Peel Road by Michelle Auyong
Address: 92, Jalan Peel, Taman Maluri, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: +6012 698 5122
Hours: 11:00am - 8:00pm (Thurs off)
Chow Kit "Cha Yok" Nasi Lemak is an over 60 year old stall in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. The founder of the stall observed that Malay nasi lemak was very popular and so decided to also sell nasi lemak.
The stall is today in the third generation, run by her grandson. The stall started with curry chicken and Hakka style fried & stewed pork belly as the founder was Hakka and the stall was originally in the Hakka enclave of KL.
Later sambal squid, curry wild boar and stir fried kang kong were added to the side dish menu. However, their Hakka fried & stewed pork remains their signature.
Stall name: Taste Legendary Nasi Lemak Chow Kit Market 秋傑路炸肉椰漿飯
Address: Pasar Transit Zone C, Jalan Raja Bot, Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: +6012 333 2334
Hours: 7:00am - 12:00 noon (Mon off)
Pudu Market Nasi Lemak was been in Pudu for nearly fifty years (until it moved to Ampang where it is now). Ran by "ngai chai" or shorty, a feisty small built man. The wet market at Pudu is a maze and can be intimidating even for locals who don't go there often. To find ngai chai's nasi lemak stall, just ask the people there. Everyone knows ngai chai nasi lemak. Now ngai chai operates outside Restoran Taman Muda in Ampang.
Ngai chai started as a Chinese mixed dishes stall but later moved to Pudu and switched to selling nasi lemak instead.
Shorty's nasi lemak is known for his special sambal and hae bee hiam (spicy shrimp). The basic RM3 portion includes a mound of coconut cooked rice with sambal, hae bee hiam, fried peanut, fried dried anchovies, egg, and cucumber. Sides at additional cost include sambal cockle, squid, fried chicken, fried luncheon meat, fried egg, boiled egg, curry potato, curry chicken, curry wild boar, etc.
Stall name: 吉隆坡半山巴巴刹矮仔椰浆饭
Address: Stall at Restoran Taman Muda Baru coffee shop. 83, Jalan Bunga Tanjung 8b, Taman Muda, Ampang, Selangor, Malaysia
Tel: +6014 828 6688
Hours: Breakfast - Lunch
Street side Chinese nasi lemak stall at Jalan Sentul. For side dishes they have curry chicken, sambal prawn, sambal squid, etc. Other sides include rendang chicken, signature rendang pork rib, sambal stinky beans (petai), kang kong, fried luncheon meat, fried hot dog, etc. Their selection is not extensive as they are just a push cart but the daily queue attests to the quality and popularity of their nasi lemak.
Stall name: Jalan Sentul Chinese Nasi Lemak
Address: 1062-1064, Jalan Sentul, Taman Kosmo Jaya, Kuala Lumpur
Hours: 4:30pm - 7:30pm (Sun off)
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