Nasi Kerabu Terengganu 丁加奴兰江饭

Nasi Kerabu is one of the many popular dish which is mostly served at the east coast of Malaysia. 'Nasi kerabu' also translated as rice salad and this special dish normally comes with blue rice and all sort of vegetables & 'serunding' or meat floss with a touch of the unique sweet & spicy gravy. And 'nasi ulam' is quite similar to it as well except that it uses more herbs & green leaves vegetables on it. Too bad that I didn't get to try the original nasi kerabu during my last visit to Kelantan. So, its going into my list to do.

A couple of weeks back, the east coast of Malaysia was strike by horrible flood. Luckily, the university that my girl studying at wasn't involved and she managed to get home a few days later by plane. I just sent her off yesterday. She need to go back early to do some cleaning up in the hostel and preparation for her coming exam which has been delayed for quite some time already since the flood. Hopefully, things will goes well.

The best part of this dish is 'kerisik sambal ikan' or coconut flaked fish. It is absolutely addictive.

Ingredients for kerisik sambal ikan :
2   ikan kembung (scomber) or mackerel, fried till brown & remove flesh
100gm  grated young coconut
1/2 tspn   salt
2 tspn  sugar
4 shallots, sliced
1cm  ginger, peeled & sliced
a pinch of pepper

Method :
(1) dry fry grated coconut in non-stick pan till lightly brown & fragrant.
(2) then pound shallots & ginger, add coconut, fish meat & other ingredients, pound to mix well. Or you use a grinder. Set aside when it is done.

Ingredients for Blue Rice :
2 cups  rice, washed & drained
2 cups hot water
7  'Bunga telang' or butterfly pea flower or a few drops of colouring
1 stalk lemongrass, cleaned & slightly smashed

Method :
(1) soaked 'bunga telang' into hot water for 15 minutes or till colour turned blue then discharged the flower.
(2) now, combine everything into rice cooker and let to cook as usual.

Note : please make sure you're using the same size measuring cup for both rice & water.

Ingredients for fried turmeric chicken :
1/2  chicken, chopped to bite size
1 tspn   salt
1 TB   turmeric powder
2 TB   corn starch

Method :
Combine everything into a big bowl & mix well. Add in about 2 TB of water if the mixture it too dry. Then fried till golden brown.

Ingredients for sweet & spicy gravy :
10 dried chilies, soaked
1 large onion, skinned & sliced
3 shallots, skinned & sliced
1cm  ginger, skinned & sliced
6 cloves  garlic, skinned
2pcs  asam keping
1 stalk  lemongrass, rinsed & slightly smashed
200ml   coconut milk
salt & sugar to taste

Method :
Blend together soaked dried chilies, shallots, onion, ginger & garlic till fine. Preheat frying pan with 1/2 cup cooking and saute lemongrass, asam keping & blended mixture till mixture turned red & fragrant. Finally, add in coconut milk and continue simmering till the sauce became thick. Add in salt & sugar to your taste then its ready.

Other side dish as desired :  cooked salted eggs, cucumber, blanched some beansprouts, fried ikan kembung, serunding daging (meat floss) & prawn cracker.

I prefer handling this dish without the folk & spoon but with my own hands. I simply enjoying it this way. Well, how many of you have tried eating with your own hands so far? You should start trying it out some time. And here's some read up what beneficial regarding eating with your own hands. Click here.