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Nasi berlauk Kelantan
Nasi berlauk: Kelantan breakfast rice with tuna curry, salted egg and cucumber
In Kota Bharu and the villages of Kelantan, breakfast stalls open early with trays of nasi berlauk: plain rice with lauk (side dishes) such as a spicy gulai of tuna, a salted duck egg, crisp cucumber and often solok lada, green chillies stuffed with fish and coconut. This home version keeps the heart of it, a rich, tangy fish curry with toasted coconut paste (kerisik). The usual mistake is stirring the fish once it is in the gravy, which breaks it into shreds. Chef's tip: toast the kerisik until it is the colour of milk chocolate; it thickens the gravy and gives the famous east-coast nuttiness.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the fish curry
- 1 ⅛ lb tuna or mackerel steakscut into 4 pieces
- 6 shallotspeeled
- ¾ in fresh ginger
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 lemongrass stalkbruised
- 1 ¼ cups coconut milk
- 1 tbsp tamarind pastemixed with 150 ml water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
To serve
- 1 ⅓ lb cooked jasmine ricehot
- 2 salted duck eggshard-boiled, halved
- 1 cucumbersliced
- 1 handful ulam herbs such as Vietnamese mint (optional)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Blend 6 shallots, 3 garlic cloves, ¾ in fresh ginger and 1 tsp ground turmeric with 2 tbsp water to a smooth paste.
Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wide pan over a medium heat and fry the paste with 2 tbsp dried chilli paste (cili boh) and 1 lemongrass stalk for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until it darkens and the oil separates.
8 minStep 3: Pour in 1 tbsp tamarind paste and 1 ¼ cups coconut milk and bring to a gentle simmer. Add 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp sugar.
3 minStep 4: Slide in 1 ⅛ lb tuna or mackerel steaks in one layer, spoon the gravy over and simmer gently for 10–12 minutes without stirring, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily in the centre.
12 minStep 5: Stir 2 tbsp kerisik (toasted coconut paste) into the gravy around the fish and simmer for 2 minutes more until thick and glossy. Taste for salt and sourness.
2 minStep 6: Serve the curry over 1 ⅓ lb cooked jasmine rice with a half of the 2 salted duck eggs each, 1 cucumber and 1 handful ulam herbs such as Vietnamese mint.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does nasi berlauk Kelantan take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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