Nasi Ulam

Nasi Ulam is Malay for "rice" (nasi)

with a whole variety of local greens.

These greens comprise vegetables, herbaceous plants,

edible wild plants, shoots, leaves, and stems.

Description

Also known as kampung salad,

Nasi Ulam is a signature dish of Peranankans as well as the Malays.

Nasi Ulam has been a popular dish

with the natives of the Malay Peninsula.

But like many dishes in South East Asia,

other cultures also have their version of the dish,

especially the Peranakans who adapted the dish

until it became an integral part of Straits cooking.

It is now known as "Queen" of all Peranakan rice.

-By Suchitthra Vasu

Recipe adapted from Tracer (www.umami.typepad.com)

Ingredients:

(some quantities are vague,

because it can be guess-timated according to personal taste):

4 cups of rice, cooked

Salted fish, about 10 g, fried, then cooled and shredded finely

Dried shrimps, about 1 big handful, fried and cooled

1 tbsp belacan, toasted

2 tbsp kerisik (toasted grated coconut), dry-toasted in a wok

Herbs ( Finely sliced)

Handful shallots

1 serai (lemongrass), only the tender inner parts of the white end

1 bunga kantan (ginger flower)

3 stalks daun kesom (laksa leaves)

3 stalks basil leaves

3 stalks mint leaves

3-4 cekur leaves

6 kaduk leaves

1 turmeric leaf

1 kaffir lime leaf

1 cm fresh turmeric, finely chopped

pepper to taste

toasted almonds for garnish

I personally have a love hate relationship

with this amazing peranakan dish!

I swear the "finely slice herbs" in the recipe is a pain in the arse!

But whenever,

I shove a spoonful of Nasi Ulam into my mouth,

my stomach would immediately ease the pain in the arse

telling it that it's all worth it!

Arrgh!!!

*Complicated Human Anatomy*

Now the bad news....

Hiroshi loves Nasi Ulam too!!!!