Guilt-Free Vegan 'Nasi Lemak'

Nasi lemak is one of many Malaysian favourites you can "veganise" easily.
Photo: SG

The secret of the best nasi lemak lies in its sambal (clockwise, top right). The boiled egg and chicken rendang are only extras---this creamy coconut rice is nothing without a fantastic sambal. I have fond memories of the makcik who ran a stall next to the neighbourhood watch headquarters (what we in Malaysia call rukun tetangga) in Seremban. She made simple, no-frills nasi lemak with a slice of hard-boiled egg, a few slices of cucumber and some fried anchovies to keep the rice and sambal company. The nasi lemak would always be sold out by lunch time, so my dad would be at her stall early on a Saturday or Sunday morning, queuing up with the other fans.

I've not had makcik's nasi lemak since I turned vegetarian, but my mother has continued the tradition by making the dish for lunch, usually on Sundays. Today was one such lucky day, and my mum's vegan version is actually much healthier than the traditional dish--no meat/eggs, only a drizzle of coconut milk in the rice and a light, sweet-sour-spicy sambal. 

Here are the recipes: 

Vegetarian Nasi Lemak 

Rice (from "Vegetarian Odyssey" by Kamala Murugappan)

Ingredients

2 cups rice, washed and drained
3 1/2 cups water
5 pandan leaves
1 cup of grated coconut
salt to taste

Directions:

1. Add water to 1 cup of grated coconut. Squeeze out the milk and add it to the rice. Add salt and pandan leaves. 

2. Cook rice in a rice cooker for about 15 minutes. When rice is done, stir to separate the grains. Set aside.


Sambal (my mother's recipe)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried chillies, 4 cloves garlic and 1/2 cup sliced shallots (ground into a paste)
tamarind juice (1 tbsp tamarind and 1/4 cup water)
1 red onion, cut into rings
1 large tomato, chopped
1 cup vegetarian "anchovies"
3 tsp sugar
4 tbsp oil
salt to taste

Directions:

1. Fry onions in oil until soft.
2. Add in ground chili paste and tamarind juice. Lower heat and let simmer for 2 minutes.
3. Add chopped tomatoes and let cook until tomatoes are soft.
4. Add in the sugar.
5. The gravy should have the consistency of a sauce, if it gets too thick add a little water at a time.
6. Add in vegetarian anchovies and let cook for 2 minutes or until the anchovies are tender.
7. Add salt to taste. Turn off the heat and dish out to serve.
8. Serve rice with sambal, a handful of friend groundnuts, salad greens and some fried tempeh.