Nasi ulam is a traditional dish prepared with steamed white rice (nasi) and served with an assortment of herbs and vegetables (ulam) that is commonly found in the cuisines of Indonesia and Malaysia, with further variations in southern Thailand. To make this recipe you can use brown rice instead of white rice and get a more aromatic and healthy version. Various types of herbs can be used or traditional herbs can be substituted.
Ingredients for 4 portions
- Dried prawns 80 g
- Dried anchovies 80 g
- Fresh sardines, stripped of heads and guts 340 g
- Sunflower oil 50 g
- Fresh coconut, grated 150 g
- Boiled brown rice - 20 g betel leaves (daun kadok) 400 g
- Thai basil leaves (daun selasih) 20 g
- Mint leaves (daun pudina) 20 g
- Vietnamese mint or coriander leaves (daun kesum) 20 g
- Combava leaves (daun limau purut) 10 g
- Turmeric leaves 10 g
- Flashlight ginger (bunga kantan), sliced fine 40 g
- Shallots, peeled and thinly sliced 50 g
- Lemongrass, only the white part, sliced fine 50 g
- Halls q.b.
- Sugar 5 g
- Ground white pepper 2,5 g
- Ground black pepper 2,5 g
Preparation
Soak the dried shrimp until softened. Grind them coarsely in a mortar with a pestle.
Heat a saucepan and toast/sauté the shredded shrimp without adding oil, allowing their fragrance to escape. Set them aside.
Fry the dried anchovies by dipping them in half the oil. Transfer them to a sheet of paper towels and pat dry.
Use the remaining oil to brown the seasoned sardines on both sides until cooked. Remove them from the heat and remove the scales from the flesh. Set them aside.
Prepare kerisik by continuously sautéing grated coconut in a wok or pan until it takes on a deep golden color.
Transfer two-thirds of the coconut to a mortar and pound it finely. Set it aside. Keep the remaining third of the toasted coconut for garnish.
Chiffonade all the herbs into leaves, stacking a few leaves at a time and rolling them into a cylinder shape before cutting them into thin strips. Repeat the process several times and set them aside.
Combine and mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Season and stir to mix everything together.
Adjust the seasoning to your taste. Garnish with the toasted coconut and serve immediately.
To limit our impact on the environment, we advise you to remain within 1 kg CO2-equivalent per meal, including all the courses you eat. Bear in mind that plant-based dishes are more likely to have a low environmental impact.
Even though some of our suggestions exceed the recommended 1 kg CO2-equivalent per meal, that doesn't mean you should never make them; it's the overall balance that counts. Regularly eating a healthy and eco-friendly diet in the long term offsets even the dishes with the most impact, as long as you don't make them too often.