NASI KANDAR

Nasi Kandar is a popular northern Malay dish, originating from Penang. It was brought to Malaysia 70 years ago from India when Indian Muslim immigrants roamed the ports and dusty streets of the colonizers of Penang, dragging baskets around heavy loads with dishes such as home-cooked and rice.

The word Nasi Kandar, comes from the time when rice (rice) hawkers or vendors will drive (left) the pole on the shoulders with two big former rice food. The name is always and is now Nasi Kandar's words are seen in most Tamil Islamic restaurants or "Mamak Malaysia" and Indian-Muslim outlets offering rice.

In the early stages, Nasi Kandar seller is famous for wearing their dirty sarong, serving a meal with cheap equipment and broken chairs and stools. Today, the image has been completely reversed and has now given way to uniformed waiters and waiters, shinning clean, organized, and best restaurants from all ... Which are available for good Food!

Nasi Kandar is a steamed rice dish that can be ordinary or slightly flavored, and served with a variety of curries and side dishes. Rice for rice cooker is often placed in a wooden container of about three feet high, passing on a unique aroma. Rice is often accompanied by side dishes such as fried chicken, curry spleen, sliced ​​beef, fish eggs, fried prawns or fried squid. Mixed curry sauce poured in rice. This is called 'flood' (flooding) and conveying a wide-ranging flavor for rice.

Despite the fact that there are many Nasi Kandar restaurants in Penang, Pelita Nasi Kandar stands among the best in Penang. Pelita Nasi Kandar is the largest rice chain restaurant in Malaysia that comes far from being a small stall in a coffee shop in Taman Leng Chai, Perai. However, in less than 20 years Pelita Nasi Kandar now has more than 26 branches comprising more than 5 Malaysian states, There is even one that can be opened in Chennai, India.

HOW TO COOK NASI KANDAR:

Ingredients

8 – 10 slices of tenggiri (mackerel fish)

1 tsp sea salt

1 Tbsp tamarind paste (soaked in 3 Tbsp hot water)

1 Tbsp turmeric powder

5 Tbsp grapeseed oil for frying fish

5 slices old ginger

Vegetables

10 lady fingers (washed and the top trimmed)

3 large ripe red tomatoes (cut into quarters)

5 small aubergines (cut into 2)

Aromatic herbs

2 Tbsp ‘rempah ratus’ spices

2 dried chili (washed and seeded)

4 sprigs of curry leaves (bruised)

1 Tbsp traditionally handmade coconut oil

Spices

10 shallots (peeled and sliced)

5 cloves garlic (peeled and sliced)

1 inch old ginger (sliced)

5 large dried chili (soaked and seeded)

Blend or pound all the above spices

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 Tbsp coriander seeds

1 Tbsp fennel (jintan manis)

1 Tbsp cumin (jintan putih)

5 Tbsp Baba’s meat curry powder

100 ml traditionally handmade coconut oil

1 Tbsp castor sugar

800 ml filtered water

1 Tbsp tamarind paste (soaked in 100 ml water and drained, discard the seeds retain the water)

sea salt to taste

100 ml thick coconut milk or santan

Directions

1. Marinate the fish slices in the tamarind paste, turmeric powder and salt for about 1 hour. Heat a non-stick pan and drizzle in the grapeseed oil. Pan fry the fish slices till slightly golden brown on the outside.

2. Remove from heat and set aside on some paper towels to absorb oil.

3. Set a large curry pot on the stove. Heat it up and drizzle in the 100ml coconut oil. Add in the blended spices, powdered spices, curry powder and ‘tumis’ or lightly fry until fragrant. Add sugar and keep stirring to avoid the spices from burning. Burnt spices have to be discarded as they will taste bitter.

4. Slowly add filtered water and let the spice paste simmer. Add the tamarind water and all the vegetables. Pour in the rest of the filtered water and simmer over low heat until vegetables are all tender. Put in the fish slices, coconut milk and sea salt to taste.

5. Fry aromatics in the used non stick pan by adding 1 Tbsp coconut oil to the pan. Fry over low heat until fragrant. Add to simmering curry and simmer for another 3 minutes. Cut off heat, curry ready to be served.

HOW TO MAKE NASI KANDAR VIDEO!!!