Nasi Lemak Bungkus Recipe

ByNoah Steele
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Introduction

Nasi Lemak Bungkus is a beloved Malaysian dish featuring fragrant coconut rice wrapped in banana leaves, accompanied by crispy anchovies, spicy sambal, and fresh garnishes. This recipe brings together bold flavors in a beautifully presented, portable meal perfect for any occasion.

The image shows a serving of food placed on a large green banana leaf. At the bottom left are three medium green cucumber slices arranged in a row. Behind the cucumber slices is a mound of light yellow rice, topped with a small square of a green leaf and a reddish-brown shredded meat or paste on top. To the left of the rice is a quarter of a hard-boiled egg with a pale yellow yolk and white outer part. To the right of the rice is a small pile of light brown roasted peanuts. The banana leaf sits on a white marbled surface. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups White Rice
  • 1 1/4 cups Coconut Milk
  • 1 1/4 cups Pandan Extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 100 grams Dried Anchovy
  • 1 tablespoon Tamarind Paste
  • 1 tablespoon Water
  • Salt to taste
  • Granulated Sugar to taste
  • Oil as needed
  • Water to taste
  • 60 grams Shallot
  • 1 stalk Lemongrass
  • 1 inch Fresh Ginger
  • 6 Dried Chili Peppers
  • 1 Cucumber
  • 30 grams Peanuts
  • 2 Eggs
  • 8 Banana Leaves
  • Cooking Oil as needed

Instructions

  1. Step 1: In a steamer bowl or tray, combine white rice, pandan extract, coconut milk, and sea salt. Steam for 40-50 minutes until cooked through. Fluff the rice gently with a fork or chopsticks and keep it warm in the steamer.
  2. Step 2: Toss dried anchovies with oil and fry them in an air fryer at 160°C (320°F) for 10-15 minutes until crispy and golden. Set aside.
  3. Step 3: Finely grind shallots, lemongrass, fresh ginger, and dried chili peppers to create a fragrant paste.
  4. Step 4: Mix tamarind paste with one tablespoon of water to form a tamarind mixture.
  5. Step 5: Heat cooking oil in a wok. Add the prepared paste and stir-fry until aromatic.
  6. Step 6: Pour water and the tamarind mixture into the wok. Add the fried anchovies, salt, and granulated sugar to taste. Simmer on low heat until the liquid slightly reduces, adding more water if it becomes too dry. Remove from heat and set aside.
  7. Step 7: Arrange banana leaves on newspaper. Press steamed rice into a bowl, invert it onto the center of each leaf. Cover rice with a smaller piece of banana leaf and spoon sambal ikan bilis (anchovy sambal) over the top.
  8. Step 8: Prepare hard-boiled eggs by placing eggs in a pot, covering with cold water by an inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, turn off heat, cover and let sit for 8-10 minutes. Drain, cool in ice water, then peel and quarter.
  9. Step 9: Garnish each portion with peanuts, quartered hard-boiled eggs, and cucumber slices.
  10. Step 10: Wrap each banana leaf parcel securely.
  11. Step 11: Serve the nasi lemak bungkus wrapped parcels and enjoy!

Tips & Variations

  • Use fresh pandan leaves if pandan extract is unavailable for a more natural aroma.
  • Adjust the number of dried chilies in the paste to suit your preferred spice level.
  • To add protein variety, include fried chicken or sambal squid alongside the anchovies.
  • If you don’t have an air fryer, shallow-fry the anchovies in oil until crispy instead.
  • Banana leaves can be quickly softened by passing them over an open flame before wrapping to prevent tearing.

Storage

Store leftover nasi lemak components separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat the rice and sambal gently in the microwave or on the stove before assembling fresh wraps. Avoid storing wrapped parcels to keep the banana leaves fresh and prevent sogginess.

How to Serve

The image shows a traditional dish served on a green banana leaf. At the center, there is a small mound of pale yellow rice with a smooth texture. On top of the rice sits a dark green square leaf, which is topped with a generous scoop of reddish-brown, shredded and saucy meat. To the left side of the rice are three slices of fresh, light green cucumber with translucent centers, and a quarter piece of a boiled white egg with a yellow yolk. To the right of the rice, there is a small pile of light brown roasted peanuts. The background is a white marbled texture. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use regular white rice instead of pandan rice?

Yes, you can use regular white rice, but adding pandan extract or leaves enhances the traditional fragrance and flavor typical of nasi lemak.

How do I know when the rice is done steaming?

The rice is cooked when it’s tender and all liquid has been absorbed. Fluff it with a fork to check the texture, making sure the grains are separate and not sticky.

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Nasi Lemak Bungkus Recipe

★★★★★

4.9 from 141 reviews
  • Author: Noah
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Diet: Halal
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Description

Nasi Lemak Bungkus is a traditional Malaysian dish featuring fragrant steamed coconut pandan rice served with crispy fried anchovies simmered in a tangy tamarind sambal, garnished with crunchy peanuts, fresh cucumber, and quartered hard-boiled eggs, all elegantly wrapped in banana leaves for a flavorful and aromatic meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Rice and Coconut Mixture

  • 2 1/2 cups White Rice
  • 1 1/4 cups Coconut Milk
  • 1 1/4 cups Pandan Extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt

Sambal Ikan Bilis (Anchovy Sambal)

  • 100 grams Dried Anchovy
  • 1 tablespoon Tamarind Paste
  • 1 tablespoon Water (for tamarind mixture)
  • Oil (as needed for frying and stir-frying)
  • Salt (to taste)
  • Granulated Sugar (to taste)
  • Water (to taste)
  • 60 grams Shallot
  • 1 Lemongrass stalk
  • 1 inch Fresh Ginger
  • 6 Dried Chili Peppers

Garnish and Wrap

  • 1 Cucumber
  • 30 grams Peanuts
  • 2 Eggs
  • 8 Banana Leaves
  • Cooking Oil (as needed)

Instructions

  1. Steam the Rice: Combine the white rice, pandan extract, coconut milk, and sea salt in a steamer bowl or tray. Steam the mixture for 40-50 minutes until fully cooked and fluffy. Fluff the rice with a fork or chopsticks and keep warm in the steamer.
  2. Air Fry the Anchovies: Coat dried anchovies with oil and air fry them at 160°C (320°F) for 10-15 minutes until they turn crispy and golden brown. Set aside.
  3. Prepare the Spice Paste: Finely grind shallots, lemongrass, fresh ginger, and dried chili peppers together until smooth to form a flavorful spice paste.
  4. Mix Tamarind Liquid: Combine tamarind paste with one tablespoon of water to create a tamarind mixture.
  5. Cook the Sambal: Heat oil in a wok and add the prepared spice paste. Stir fry until the paste is fragrant. Add water to adjust consistency and the tamarind mixture. Next, add the fried anchovies, season with salt and granulated sugar to taste, and simmer on low heat until the liquid reduces slightly. Add more water if the mixture becomes too dry. Remove from heat and set aside.
  6. Prepare the Banana Leaves: Layer banana leaves on top of newspaper to soften and prepare them for wrapping.
  7. Assemble Rice Packets: Press the steamed rice firmly into a bowl, invert the bowl, and place the rice onto the center of each banana leaf. Cover the rice with a smaller piece of banana leaf, then spoon the sambal ikan bilis on top.
  8. Boil the Eggs: Place eggs in a single layer in a pot and cover with cold water by about an inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then turn off heat, cover, and let sit for 8-10 minutes. Drain, cool in ice water, peel, and cut into quarters.
  9. Add Garnishes: Garnish each rice packet with quartered hard-boiled eggs, peanuts, and slices of fresh cucumber.
  10. Wrap the Packets: Fold the banana leaves securely around the rice and fillings to create neat packets.
  11. Serve: Present the wrapped Nasi Lemak packets and enjoy this authentic Malaysian classic.

Notes

  • Steaming the rice with pandan extract infuses it with a unique fragrant aroma essential to authentic Nasi Lemak.
  • Air frying the anchovies instead of deep frying reduces oil usage and results in a lighter, crispy texture.
  • The acidity from tamarind paste balances the rich coconut milk in the rice, creating a well-rounded flavor profile.
  • Soften banana leaves by layering on newspaper or briefly warming to prevent tearing when wrapping.
  • Hard-boiled eggs can be prepared in advance to save time during assembly.
  • Adjust chili quantities according to your preferred spice level.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Air Frying
  • Cuisine: Malaysian

Keywords: Nasi Lemak, Malaysian cuisine, coconut rice, banana leaf wrap, sambal ikan bilis, air fried anchovies, tamarind sambal

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