NASI LEMAK, a beloved breakfast dish in Malaysia, has earned international recognition, with an Australian travel writer dubbing it “the perfect breakfast.”
Ben Groundwater, in an article titled “Forget Vegemite on toast – this is how to start the day right,“ takes readers on a journey through the dish’s iconic ingredients and history, advocating for it over more traditional Australian breakfast options.
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Groundwater begins by breaking down the components of nasi lemak, explaining that the name directly translates to “rich rice” in Malay.
“Nasi lemak translates to “rich rice” and, at its most basic, that’s what it is, just rice cooked with coconut cream and pandan leaves.
“And that would be enough for a hearty breakfast. But then you add the classic condiments: small, dried anchovies called ikan bilis; crunchy roasted peanuts; slices of cooling cucumber; a boiled egg, peeled and split in half; and sambal, a fiercely spicy and highly addictive chilli-based sauce,” he wrote.
“And you’re still not done because a classic nasi lemak will often be served with yet another hearty dish, sometimes beef rendang, or fried chicken, or chicken curry, or even squid with chilli.
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“Now, how’s that toast and Vegemite looking?” he asks.
The writer also touches on the historical significance of nasi lemak, tracing its popularity back to Malaysia in the 1970s. He further shares that the dish was first mentioned in 1909 by British colonial administrator Sir Richard Olaf Winstedt in his book The Circumstances of Malay Life.
Towards the end of his article, he suggests on where to enjoy a plate of nasi lemak in Kuala Lumpur, recommending the famous Nasi Lemak Tanglin, a popular spot that has been serving the dish since 1948.
While many readers applauded Groundwater’s endorsement of nasi lemak, some netizens expressed less enthusiasm.
One user called chillijam commented: “The best breakfast of all time.”
Hoang1derlust wrote: “I can’t think of a more uninspiring, uninteresting and tasteless dish in the world. A bunch of boring unrelated ingredients thrown together. Peanuts with rice? Peanuts with cucumber? Boiled egg with coconut and pandan?
“You can pick 5 random ingredients in your fridge, throw it together and make it the national dish of a nation. beggars belief, but that’s what this dish is,” the same user said.
Another raised concerns about the health implications of consuming nasi lemak regularly for breakfast.
“Coconut milk is 22% saturated fats, and whole lot of calories. You wouldn’t want to be eating it every breakfast. I’ll stick to vegemite toast thanks,” JimmyG commented.
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