Australian Says Nasi Lemak Is How You Start The Day Right
Nasi lemak origins could be traced back to 1909, although it only became more popular in the 1970s.
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We must be doing something right with nasi lemak, if even people from across the ocean say it’s the best thing to start the day with.
Sydney-based writer and columnist for The Sydney Morning Herald Ben Groundwater wrote in the Traveller section that nasi lemak is the way to go when it comes to breakfast.
In the article titled “Forget Vegemite on toast – this is how to start the day right”, Groundwater explains to readers what nasi lemak is.
Although his translation of nasi lemak is a little inaccurate – he calls it “rich rice” – we still appreciate his preference for the ultimate Malaysian breakfast.
However, he got all the ingredients on point: rice cooked with coconut cream and pandan leaves, ikan bilis, crunchy roasted peanuts, slices of cucumber, hard boiled eggs sliced in half, and of course, sambal.
He added that nasi lemak is often served with other hearty ingredients such as beef rendang, fried chicken, chicken curry, or even squid with chilli.
“Now, how’s that toast and Vegemite looking?” he said, teasing the stereotypical Australian breakfast.
The writer mentioned how nasi lemak only became a popular breakfast staple in Malaysia in the 1970s when in fact, its origins could be traced back to as far as 1909 when it was first mentioned in a book written by British colonial administrator Sir Richard Olaf Windstedt titled “The Circumstances Of Malay Life”.
Groundwater later wrote in his article on where to find nasi lemak in Malaysia, which is pretty much at every corner especially in Kuala Lumpur.
But, he did mention Nasi Lemak Tanglin specifically, which has been around since 1948.
For nasi lemak in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, he suggested Mamak, an award-winning Malaysian restaurant chain found in those cities.
At the end of his written piece, Groundwater left a link to a nasi lemak recipe on the Good Food section of The Sydney Morning Herald, complete with measurements and step-by-step instructions.
But we know the best way to cook Malaysian food is the agak-agak way, right?
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