Nasi Kerabu

Nasi kerabu is rice mixed with fresh herbs, vegetables and seasoned fish in this Malaysian recipe from Poh’s Kitchen. Torch ginger, lemongrass, turmeric leaf, curry leaves, basil, mint and lime leaves join coriander, cabbage, long beans and bean sprouts.

Coconut fries without oil until golden, then blends to a fine paste. Shrimp paste is broken into smaller pieces and toasted without oil before it blends with fresh red chillies to make the sambal belacan.

The recipe uses cooked rice and grilled fish flaked into small pieces. A portion of the coconut paste and some of the blended sambal mix into the rice with the finely sliced herbs and vegetables.

Lime juice and black pepper season the mixture, with salt and sugar to taste. Once the rice and its additions are mixed, it goes onto a plate for serving.

The finely cut leaves and vegetables make a varied mixture around the rice and flakes of fish. Fried coconut, chilli and shrimp paste bring richer flavours, while lime juice adds sharpness to the fresh herbs.