Nasi Dagang & Nasi Kerabu

For the Visit Malaysia 2014, instead of taking the normal tour of the numerous places of interest in various parts of Malaysia, you must venture on a gastronomical journey of each state. Join me and discover the many culinary delights of Terengganu, complete with its recipe. Thanks to Gaya Travel Magazine and Tourism Malaysia Terengganu for the invitation for the KCC1M “Kembara Cuti-Cuti 1 Malaysia” from 17 – 20 June 2013.

Let me start with the ever popular rice-based dishes such as simple Nasi Dagang and healthy Nasi Kerabu. The name Nasi Dagang derives from the word Dagang which means travelling from one place to another, in those days it mainly involved trading trips. During such trips, the traders packed along the Nasi Dagang to be eaten along the way. It must be simple to prepare but yet nourishing! This dish is made by steaming the Nasi Dagang rice or a mixture of regular and glutinuous rice in a coconut milk over low heat. The trick is the method of steaming. Initially, the rice is steamed for 20 to 25 minutes or until half-cooked. Next, stir in the thin coconut milk and continue steaming for 15 minutes until the rice is nearly cooked. Lastly, stir a combination of thick coconut milk, shallots, garlic, ginger (these 3 ingredients are all sliced finely), fenugreek seeds or halba and a pinch of salt into the cooked rice and let it steam once more for 10 to 15 minutes or until the rice is properly cooked. Nasi Dagang is usually eaten with side dishes of tuna curry or kari ikan tonggol and pickled cucumbers and carrots

Nasi Dagang Terengganu rice sold at Pasar Payang

Nasi Dagang rice in Kelantan is special reddish brown glutinous rice.

Nasi Dagang

Compare to Nasi Dagang, preparing Nasi Kerabu is more complicated, with its condiments of Sambal Ikan, Kuah Sambal and Ulam-ulam. The rice with 1 stalk of lemongrass and permitted blue food coloring is cooked like ordinary rice. For Sambal Ikan, pound the onion shallots, ginger, lemongrass, black pepper and grilled mackerel or ikan kembung panggang until fine. Mix the pounded ingredients with grated coconut and cook over low heat, stirring all the time until it dries. As for the Kuah Sambal, pound the dried chilli, onion shallots, garlic, shrimp paste (slightly roasted) and ginger. In the meantime, simmer the coconut milk until it produces a thin layer of oil, indicating that it is properly cooked. After which, you add the pounded ingredients, lemongrass, brown sugar and dried tamarind into the cooked coconut milk and simmer until it thickens and it is ready to be served. The normal Ulam-ulam or Salad side dish used is long bean, cucumber, laksa leaves or daun kesum, cabbage and ginger flower or bunga kantan, all these condiments are sliced finely and immediately seasoned with a pinch of salt to retain its freshness. Nasi Kerabu can also be eaten with raw bean sprouts, fried fish crackers, roasted meat, fried fish, salted eggs and sambal belacan – the choices are yours!

Nasi Kerabu served at Peladang Setiu Agro Resort is simply the best!