Sunday 14 October 2012

Nasi Minyak (Ghee Rice)


Nasi Minyak is a rice dish I used to look forwards to when attending Malay weddings. Back home in Terengganu, Nasi Minyak is available daily from our favorite food stalls which also sells Nasi Dagang and Nasi Lemak.

Whenever I go home to Terengganu during Chinese New Year, my father will see to it that we have Nasi Minyak, Nasi Dagang and Nasi Lemak for breakfast/lunch on the second day of new year. That is something my siblings and I look forwards to. We also love the curry that accompanies the Nasi Minyak. One of our favorites is the Kerutup Daging Terengganu which will be featured in my next post.

Nasi Minyak is not difficut to cook at all. What you need is Basmathi rice, shallots, garlic, ginger, pandan leaves and spices - cinnamon, clove, cardamom and star anise. You would also need a bit of evaporated milk or UHT milk.

The recipe I am using is adapted from Kak Liza's book Senangnya Memasak Nasi. I have used some red coloring as the Nasi Minyak back home has a pinkish tinge. You could omit the coloring and your Nasi Minyak will still taste as good :)



Nasi Minyak (adapted from Kak Liza's book Senangnya Memasak Nasi)

Ingredients
- 2 cups Basmathi rice
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk

- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1/2 tablespoon ghee (leave this if you don't like Ghee or use margarine)

Spice Mix
- 2 shallots (thinly sliced)
- 2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
- 1 inch ginger (thinly sliced)
- 1 lemongrass (bruised)
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 2 star anise
- 3 cloves
- 2 cardamom
- 2 pandan leaves, knotted

Some red coloring (optional)

Method :

- Soak Basmathi rice for 10 minutes, wash and drain.
- Heat oil and ghee and saute all the spice mix ingredients until fragrant.
- Add rice and stir to mix.
- Transfer rice to rice cooker and cook as normal.
- When the rice is cooked, immediately pour red coloring on three spots (if using).
- Cover rice cooker for about 15 minutes before stirring the rice.

Ingredients
Saute till fragrant.
Add Basmathi rice and stir to mix.

Transfer to rice cooker.
Add coloring when rice is cooked.
After 15 minutes fluff up the rice. I put too much coloring.

I am submitting this post to Malaysian Food Fest, Terengganu Month hosted by Lena of frozen wings.




41 comments:

  1. Hi PH, Your nasi minyak looks so delicious, eaten with your Daging Kerutup is calling me to tambah nasi! Are you not residing in Terengganu now? All the while I thought you are living there!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Joyce! I migrated to PJ a long time ago. Hope you try the nasi minyak. Goes very well with curries.

      Delete
  2. This nasi minyak must be very fragrant since it is saute together with the spices. Looking at your photos here, it sure is real delicious with the pickles and the chicken rendang, right?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mel, the rice is so fragrant it will make you hungry! I served it with Terengganu beef curry.

      Delete
  3. Hi Phong Hong, my hubby and I love fragrant and aromatic rice. This one with milk definitely suits us. BTW, still have the other fragrant rice to prepare first.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kimmy hope you try cooking this and the Nasi Hujan Panas. Eat with curry, sure tambah nasi!

      Delete
  4. What a gorgeous presentation! Both beautiful and delicious! Hope your weekend was fantastic!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Lizzy! This dish always makes me overeat :)

      Delete
  5. Phong Hong, after reading all your recent post, I realise that I really don't know much abt Malaysian food, it is becoz 9/10 recipes that is sharing by you is new to me. When I was in my hometown, my mum never bought Malay or Indian food! And she bought the nasi lemak from chinese lady, hahaha!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Jessie! Next time when you come back to Malaysia for holiday, try lah the Malay and Indian food. You will sure enjoy it and put on weight hah! hah! hah!

      Delete
  6. reminds me of the nasi hujan panas that you cooked last time. i just seen joyce's post on her turmeric rice and curry and now seeing your nasi minyak and curry..both of you are making me hungry! looking forward to your kerutup daging and see what is it all about! bye!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Lena! Yes, it is similar to Nasi Hujan Panas, only difference is the coloring used.

      Delete
  7. Love the colour of this rice - so vibrant!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi there! I actually put too much color :)

      Delete
  8. Hi Phong Hong, I'm not very familiar with Malay food. Most of the time I only know how to order their food by pointing at it... hahaa and this nasi minyak is my first time seeing it. Thanks for sharing :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Ann, next time at the Malay stall check out if they have nasi minyak and try. You will fall in love with it!

      Delete
  9. I can cook this - recipe a bit different. Mine's slightly yellow because of the ghee or I would use egg yellow...or a bit of tumeric, fresh or powder...so the colour is yellow, not red. I have raisins in mine too, dunno if that's the same or some other kind of rice with a different name.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. http://suituapui.wordpress.com/2008/11/30/yellow/

      Delete
    2. Arthur, yours is also another version of the nasi minyak. I've cooked that one too and it is really good and the raisins add another dimension to it.

      Delete
  10. First time seeing red rice. Love that curry next to it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Edith, that curry is Terengganu beef curry. Will feature it in my next post.

      Delete
  11. add little more colours like green and yellow, it become Rainbow rice ,hehehe..

    ReplyDelete
  12. Replies
    1. Ola, it's too red. I'll put less colouring next time :)

      Delete
  13. Phong Hong, red nasi minyak is my first time seeing it. It could be different part of Malaysia. Your presentation is already enough to make me drool for it. Thanks for sharing.

    BTW, I like Sonia's idea.lol

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Veronica, it was supposed to be pink. That's how I remember the nasi minyak from Terengganu. Sonia remembers my post on Nasi Hujan Panas and the recipe is the same except for the colours :)

      Delete
  14. Hi Phong hong, love your nasi minyak and so colourful too. Love to eat with ayam kurma, sure can add extra rice too. LOL

    Have a nice week ahead.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Amelia, you are right. One plate sure not plate enough!

      Delete
  15. Replies
    1. Thanks, dear. Will pair up wonderfully with your exotic curries!

      Delete
  16. Replies
    1. Don't cry lah, so kesian, ask Mamarazzi to cook this for you. Easy, mah!

      Delete
  17. i get to learn so many good recipes from your space. Thanks for sharing dear

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Swasthi! I learnt just as much from you!

      Delete
  18. Hmm... will adding in some grated beetroot add some natural colour? Hmm.. maybe stir in the beetroot when the rice is done?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wendy, I think you can. It's even better than using artificial food colouring.

      Delete