Nasi Kerabu
The Kelantan Nasi Kerabu comes in two versions - Nasi Kerabu Tumis , which is accompanied with freshly grated coconut sauce and the other is the simple Nasi Kerabu Ulam . The rice are differentiated by its color, which can either be white , purple or bluish or yellow. The ulams are the finely sliced herbs that compriced of daun kesom (Vietnamese Mint ) , Daun Serai Kayu ( Samak ), Bunga Kantan (Red Giger Flower ), long beans , bean sprouts and few other green leaves that adds up to one desire.
Budu , sambal cili and grilled chicken or fish as well as, fried fish crackers , solok lada , salty eggs are the additional dishes that decorate the Nasi Kerabu flavor. It is the most favorable dish eaten as morning breakfast .
The picture shows an example of a bluish type of Nasi Kerabu with its assortments. The original bluish color is derived from the " Talang Flower " but later was substituted with blue coloring essence.
A full Nasi Kerabu set however consists of the ulam , the grilled fish or chicken, the salted egg, fish crackers, the kerisik, chili sambal and a dash of budu.
The ulam - It is mainly consist of many kind of raw eaten leaves. Cabbage, beansprout, turmeric leaves, long beans, sand ginger leaves, winged bean ( kacang botol ) along with other aromatic herbs such as the vietnamese mint, the red ginger flower, the young part of galangal root, the lemongrass are among the herbs sliced and combined as the ulam or the raw salad. Other type herbs can be substituted as part of the ulam.
The Tumisan - It is a kind of sambal made of blended onions, garlic, a little bit of ginger, lemongrass, galangal, dried chili paste with prawn paste.The paste are sauteed until fragrant and coconut milk are added to make the ' tumisan ' or the ' sambal ' ( chili paste ) rich in flavor. Salt and a little bit of ' manisan ' or the brown sugar is added to complete it.
The Kerisik - It is one of the main condiments in Nasi Kerabu. The Kerisik is made of freshly grated coconut, meat of fresh fish ( sardines or ikan kembung ) pounded , chopped onions and garlic, finely sliced or chopped lemongrass and galangal with salt to taste. The ingredients are combined and heat in a pan until the coconut turned brownish and become frangrant. These aromatic ingredients are pounded into smooth or fine powdered texture that tops the Kerabu.
The Sambal Chili - pounded red chilis with salt. Lemon or lime juice are added for its sour taste .
Nasi Kerabu
Ingredients :
1 kg rice - washed , cleaned and drained
10 - 15 pieces of blue fey flower ( Telang Flower )
1 piece pandanus leaf - tear and tie to a knot ,
1 stalk lemon grass - bruised
1 cm galangal - bruised
To cook the rice :
- Squeezed the blue fey flower in a big bowl of water ( enough to cook the rice ) for its blue colorant .
- Add in all the ingredients in a pot and let it cook .
- Once cooked , you will have the fragrant blue colored rice .
The Nasi Kerabu Ulam
The Nasi Kerabu is sometimes served dry ; without its thick coconut sambal . The ulam served is cooked with coconut milk and fresh fish meat thus making it much tastier . It is then eaten with other savories such as salted eggs, fish crackers and fried floured coated fishes , grilled chicken the solok lada and budu . The ulams are of the wildly grown fresh herbs . There can be as much as 40 to 50 kinds of green leaves added to make these fresh ulams. These leaves are finely sliced and combined with few other ingredients before it is simmered to dry together with fresh coconut milk and fresh fish meat .
Below are list of some authentic greens used in making the ulams :
Daun Samak ( Daun Serai Wangi )
Daun Pepijat
Daun Halba
Pucuk Daun Bunga Tanjung ( shoot )
Daun Kadok
Daun Kunyit
Daun Cekur
Daun Kesum
Daun Ulam Raja
Daun Pucuk Ceylon
Bunga Kantan
Bunga Kunyit
Daun Bayam Air
Daun Pangaga
Daun Pucuk Mata Itik / Mata Ayam
Daun Keterh / Pucuk Gajus
Daun Pucuk Putat
Daun Selasih / Fresh Basil
Daun Pudina / Fresh Mint
Daun Sekentut
Daun Mengkudu
Pucuk Daun Limau Purut ( kaffir leaves shoot )
Pucuk Jering
Pucuk Celangi ( Pokok Asam Keping )
Kacang Botol
Pucuk Buah Beka
Pucuk Bebuas
To prepare the ulams .
Ingredients to blend :
1 - 2 inches fresh young galangal
1 - 2 inches fresh young ginger
5 cloves garlic
10 shallots
5 fresh lemon grass - the middle part
1 tablespoon black pepper
2-3 fresh ubi pepijat
10 fresh bird eye chillies
Other ingredients :
1/2 coconut freshly grated
250 gm fresh thick coconut milk
250 gm water
1/2 kg fresh sardines / fresh ikan kembung - scrap the meat .
To cook :
In a big pot , combined all the ingredients . Simmer over med heat until dry for flavor to infuse .
