← Nouns Cooking · Malaysian & Singaporean

Ingredients

• 300 g Jasmine rice, cooked a little firm and cooled
• 50 g grated coconut (fresh or desiccated)
• 150 g mackerel or snapper fillet
• 1 tbsp Dried shrimp, soaked and finely pounded (optional)
• 4 Shallot, very thinly sliced
• 1 Lemongrass, white part, very thinly sliced
• 1 Torch ginger flower (bunga kantan), very thinly sliced
• 5 Makrut (kaffir) lime leaves, stems removed, shredded hair-fine
• 3 Turmeric leaves (daun kunyit), shredded hair-fine (optional)
• 1 handful daun kesum (Vietnamese coriander), finely shredded
• 1 handful Mint, finely shredded
• 1 handful Thai basil, finely shredded
• 1 Red chilli, finely chopped (optional)
• 1 tsp Salt
• ½ tsp Black pepper
• ½ tsp Sugar

Method

1. Spread the cooked rice on a tray so it cools completely and the grains separate.
2. Toast the coconut in a dry pan over low heat for 6–8 min, stirring constantly, until evenly golden. Pound or blitz it into a coarse, oily crumb (kerisik).
3. Season the fish with a pinch of salt and pepper and pan-fry or grill for 3–4 min per side until cooked. Flake it finely, discarding skin and bones, then fry the flakes in a dry pan for 3–4 min until dry and fluffy.
4. Shred all the herbs as finely as you can: the thinner they are, the more evenly their perfume spreads through the rice.
5. Toss the rice with the coconut, fish, dried shrimp (if using), shallots and all the herbs. Season with salt, pepper and sugar and taste. Serve at room temperature with sambal belacan and fried fish or chicken.

Tips

• Shred the herbs at the last minute and mix just before serving so they stay bright and fragrant.
• Contains fish and shellfish (dried shrimp). For a vegetarian version, leave out both and add more toasted coconut.
• Cool the cooked rice quickly (spread out, within an hour) and keep it in the fridge if you are not mixing and serving it soon; cooked rice should not sit at room temperature for long.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Malaysian Chinese Kitchen Nomadette Lin's Food