Recipes

Food is an important aspect of life and culture of the people of Sarawak, these are some of the most popular food recipes in found in almost any home both in the cities and Kampung (village).

Nasi Lemak

 Ingredients

• For the rice:
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 (1/2 inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• salt to taste
• 1 whole bay leaf
• 2 cups long grain rice, rinsed and drained

• For the garnish:
• 4 eggs
• 1 cucumber
• 1 cup oil for frying
• 1 cup raw peanuts
• 1 (4 ounce) package white anchovies, washed

• For the sauce:
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 3 shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons chile paste
• 1 (4 ounce) package white anchovies, washed
• salt to taste
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/4 cup tamarind juice

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together coconut milk, water, ground ginger, ginger root, salt, bay leaf, and rice. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until done.
2. Place eggs in a saucepan, and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil, and immediately remove from heat. Cover, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove eggs from hot water, cool, peel and slice in half. Slice cucumber.
3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet or wok, heat 1 cup vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Stir in peanuts and cook briefly, until lightly browned. Remove peanuts with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to soak up excess grease. Return skillet to stove. Stir in the contents of one package anchovies; cook briefly, turning, until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels. Discard oil. Wipe out skillet.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet. Stir in the onion, garlic, and shallots; cook until fragrant, about 1 or 2 minutes. Mix in the chile paste, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the chile paste is too dry, add a small amount of water. Stir in remaining anchovies; cook for 5 minutes. Stir in salt, sugar, and tamarind juice; simmer until sauce is thick, about 5 minutes.
5. Serve the onion and garlic sauce over the warm rice, and top with peanuts, fried anchovies, cucumbers, and eggs.

Malaysian Beef Rendang

Ingredients

• 3/8 pound shallots
• 3 cloves garlic
• 15 dried red chile peppers
• 5 slices fresh ginger root
• 5 lemon grass, chopped
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 1 pinch grated nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 1/4 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 cups shredded coconut
• 5 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 2/3 cups coconut milk
• 7/8 cup water
• salt to taste

Directions

1. Heat the coconut in a dry wok, stirring continuously until golden brown. Set aside to cool.
2. Using a blender or a food processor, blend the shallots, garlic, chilies, ginger, and lemon grass to a thick paste.
3. Grind the coriander, fennel, cumin and nutmeg.
4. Using the wok, fry the shallot paste in a little oil for a few minutes. Add the ground coriander, fennel, cumin and nutmeg; cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring continuously. Add beef; cook over a medium heat for a further 3 to 4 minutes, or until meat is browned.
5. Stir in sugar, coconut, cloves, cinnamon stick, coconut milk , and water. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer until most of the liquid has gone and the meat is tender (about 1 hour). Season with salt to taste.

Nasi Goreng

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked white rice
• 2 cups water
• cooking spray
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 leek, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 green chile peppers, chopped
• 1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
• 1/2 pound peeled and deveined prawns
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3 tablespoons sweet soy sauce (Indonesian kecap manis)

Directions

1. Bring the rice and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, and the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. Spread onto a baking sheet, and refrigerate 2 hours until cold.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Pour eggs into hot skillet. Cook until the eggs begin to set, lifting up the edges of the set eggs to allow the uncooked egg to contact the hot pan, about 1 minute. Flip omelet in one piece and cook until fully set, about 30 seconds. Slice omelet into 1/2 inch strips.
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Stir in the onion, leek, garlic, and chile peppers. Cook, stirring, until onion is soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken, prawns, coriander, and cumin, mixing well. Cook and stir for approximately 5 minutes.
4. Mix in the cold rice, sweet soy sauce, and omelet strips; cook until shrimp are bright pink and chicken is no longer pink in the center, 3 to 5 minutes. 

Curry Pineapple Fried Rice

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked white rice
• 3 cups water
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons pineapple juice
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 pound boneless chicken meat, cubed
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained

Directions

1. Bring the rice and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, and the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. Set the cooked rice aside. Mix together curry powder, fish sauce, and pineapple juice in a small bowl.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers, and cook and stir the chicken and onion until the chicken is no longer pink and the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked rice, pineapple chunks, and curry mixture, and cook and stir until the fried rice is hot, 5 to 10 minutes.

Spaghetti Sauce with Ground Beef

 

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small green bell pepper, diced
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (16 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Combine ground beef, onion, garlic, and green pepper in a large saucepan. Cook and stir until meat is brown and vegetables are tender. Drain grease.
2. Stir diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste into the pan. Season with oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Simmer spaghetti sauce for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  

Malaysian Chinese Style Pasta

1. 

   1. Ingredients

   • 1 (8 ounce) package spaghetti
   • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
   • 1/2 onion, chopped
   • 1 egg
   • 3 1/2 ounces ground pork
   • salt and pepper to taste
   • white sugar to taste
   • 1/2 tablespoon chile sauce
   • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
   • 1 tablespoon tomato puree
   • 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

   • 1/4 cup chopped green onions

   Directions

   1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
   2. In a saucepan over medium heat, saute the onion in the oil until the onion is a bit brownish. Stir in the egg. Add the ground pork and stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes.
   3. Mix in the cooked pasta, salt, sugar, pepper, chile sauce, soy sauce and tomato puree. Stir-fry for 3 to 5 minutes. Add red pepper and stir-fry for another 2 minutes; pour in a bit of water if it is too dry. Sprinkle chopped green onion on top.

   
   

   
   

   Chicken Curry 

   

   Ingredients

   • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
   • 3 small onions, minced
   • 1 slice fresh ginger root
   • 5 tablespoons curry powder
   • 5 tablespoons water
   • 2 tablespoons olive oil
   • 1 cup yogurt
   • 1 cup coconut milk
   • 1 cup milk
   • 1 cup water
   • 2 large potatoes, cubed
   • 1 (4 pound) whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
   • salt to taste

     Directions

   1. In a small bowl, grind together garlic, onion and ginger. In a separate small bowl, mix together curry powder and 5 tablespoons water.
   2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Saute garlic, ginger and onion until browned; add curry paste and saute together until smell is strong and fragrant.
   3. Add yogurt, coconut milk and regular milk along with 1 cup of water, and stir all together. Then add potatoes and chicken and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes.
   4. Season with salt to taste and simmer for another 2 minutes; the curry is ready!

    

   Ayam Penyet 

   

    Ingredients:

   • 6 large chicken legs or breast, deboned
   • 2 stalks lemon grass, crushed
   • 2 bay leaves (salam leaves)
   • 1 tbsp coriander seeds (ketumbar)
   • 1/2 tsp ground cumin (jintan manis)
   • 2 tbsp thick coconut milk
   • 1 tsp sugar
   • 1 tsp salt
   • 2 tbsp cooking oil
   
   Ingredients to grind:
   
   • 3 cloves garlic
   • 1 red chilli, seeded
   • 2 cm knob tumeric
   • 120g lengkuas, peeled and sliced
   • 4 slices ginger
   • 3 candlenuts (bush keras)

   Directions

   1. Fry coriander seeds over slow fire till fragrant then grind coarsely.
   2. Wash chicken and drain well. Prick chicken all over with a fork.
   3. In a mixing bowl, combine ground spices with ground cumin, coriander, salt, sugar, coconut milk and crushed serai. Add chicken and mix thoroughly. Leave to marinade for 30 minutes.
   4. Grease base of cooking pot with some cooking oil. Arrange chicken in pot, add crushed bay leaves. Cover pot and cook over moderate heat for 8 minutes. Turn chicken over, cover pot and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes or until almost dry. Remove chicken and drain off excess liquid.
   5. Grill or roast chicken on high heat, 250 deg Celcius until golden brown on both sides.