Malaysian Anchovy Bowl
Here’s a rough adaptation of Nasi Lemak, a very popular Malaysian dish. I was inspired to make it by Linda at Roti & Rice, who describes Malaysian cuisine as an “amalgamation of three major cuisines — Malay, Chinese and Indian.” I’m officially in love.
This recipe is not meant to be an authentic interpretation of Nasi Lemak (for that, go to a Malaysian restaurant or follow the recipe linked above), but rather a recipe to feature Kick+Tang and have some fun in the kitchen!
Serves 1-2
Ingredients:
1 cup grain
Nasi lemak is traditionally made with rice. But in our times, you can and should experiment with different grains. The climate-smart diet of the future must include a diverse range of whole grains (stay tuned for a blog post about this!) I used amaranth here. Another great option is millet, a traditional grain of India.
1 small tin anchovies (2 or 3 oz)
1-2 tbsp coconut cream (which you’ll mix with amount of water needed to cook your grain - for amaranth, 1 1/4 cup)
Substitute equivalent amount light coconut milk
1/2 thumb grated ginger (look at your thumb!)
1 tbsp thinly sliced lemongrass
3 tsp. Kick+Tang
Peanuts, cucumber and hard-boiled eggs for garnish/top-on
I omitted hard-boiled eggs, but go for it - I will next time :)
I used Lavi spicy peanut butter instead of peanuts - yum!
Recipe:
Heat grain of choice, coconut cream and water (or light coconut milk) in pot. and cook according to instructions (for amaranth, about 20 minutes). Grate ginger over pot while cooking.
Drain oil or water from anchovy tin, and add anchovies to separate pan. Add lemongrass and Kick+Tang and stir until thoroughly heated.
Plate grain, top with anchovies. Add sliced cucumbers, peanuts (or peanut butter) and eggs.
