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.