Kedah Nasi Ulam ( Herbal Rice )
' Nasi Ulam ' - a Malay traditional rice made up of varieties of aromatic and herbatic local fresh salads or green leaves . With additional of roots vegetables and wild edible raw leaves , the rice herbatic , pungent and aromatic taste is determined by the number of these plants or vegetables involved . There are at least fifteen different types of spices and herbs used as ingredients .The leaves are finely sliced and combined with few other condiments , toasted and pounded to create its beautiful aromatic taste . The Nasi Ulam is specially eaten with sambal and other suitable dishes such as the ' Asam Pedas Sayur Keladi ' ( Yam Vegetable in Spicy Sour Gravy ) or ' Asam Pedas Ikan Sungai ' ( Fresh Water Fish in Sour and Spicy Gravy ) .
The ingredients :
- 600 g of cold rice ( cooked )
- 20 g of dried prawns ( wash and soak to soften )
- 20 g of fried dried fish ( fermented )
- 40 g shallot
- 3 pieces of Fresh Daun Mengkudu
- 3 pieces of Daun Kadok
- 5 pieces of Daun Pegaga
- 5 strips of Daun Ulam Raja
- 3 pieces of Daun Sekentut
- 10 stalks of Daun Kesum
- 1 stalk of Fresh Ginger Flower
- 1 piece of Fresh Turmetic Leaf
- 1 piece of Fresh Sand Ginger Leaf
- 5 strips of Fresh Ceylon leaves
- 5 fresh Kaffir Lime leaves
- 5 fresh long beans
- 3 tblepsoon of fresh bean sprout
- 3 fresh kacang botol
- 5 tablespoon of Fresh toasted grated coconut ( 1/2 a coconut of kerisik )
- 1/2 t/spoon of black pepper - crushed
- 1 stalk of lemongrass
- 2 cm of young fresh galangal root
- 4 fresh Red chilies
- 6 bird eye chilies
- 1 tspn of prawn paste ( toasted )
- Half a cup of thick fresh coconut milk - simmer until it is thicken and develop oil
- Fresh lime juice ( extracted from one lime )
- salt and 2 tspn of palm sugar
- Finely slice all the green herbs
- Finely slice the shallots , the lemon grass , the young galangal root . Toast the sliced spices with the dried prawns and mashed fermented fish until fragrant .
- Using a mortar , finely pound the chilies , prawn paste , black pepper , salt and sugar .
- In a mixing bowl , mix all the above ingredients . Combining them thoroughly .
- Splashed it with lime juice for a slight sour taste . Stir to combine the ingredients and served .
 An aromatic herbal rice |
