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Nasi dagang
Coconut rice with tuna curry
Nasi dagang — steamed coconut and fenugreek rice with Terengganu tuna curry
Breakfast on the east coast, in Kuala Terengganu and Kota Bharu, very often means nasi dagang: soft, slightly sticky rice steamed twice with coconut milk, ginger and fenugreek seeds, wrapped in paper with a ladle of gulai ikan tongkol, a gentle tuna curry. The rice is fragrant and a little chewy from the glutinous grains mixed in, while the curry is mellow, coconutty and sour from dried tamarind slices. Stalls sell it from dawn, with hard-boiled eggs and cucumber pickle on the side. It also makes a fine weekend brunch at home. Chef's tip: soak the two kinds of rice overnight so the grains steam evenly and turn plump rather than chalky.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the rice
- 10 ½ oz long-grain white ricesoaked overnight (not counted in the time)
- 3 ½ oz glutinous (sticky) ricesoaked overnight with the white rice
- 2 ½ cups coconut milk250 ml for the rice, 350 ml for the curry
- 2 tsp fenugreek seeds1 tsp for the rice, 1 tsp for the curry
- 4 shallotsthinly sliced
- 1 oz fresh ginger20 g in matchsticks for the rice, 10 g for the curry paste
- 2 tsp saltsplit between rice and curry
- 1 tsp sugar
For the tuna curry
- 1 ⅛ lb fresh tuna or bonito steakscut into large chunks
- 6 shallots
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ oz galangal
- 2 stalks lemongrassbruised
- 3 tbsp fish curry powdermixed to a paste with water
- 3 dried tamarind slices (asam keping)or 1 tbsp tamarind pulp
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 1 tbsp palm sugar
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
To serve
- 4 hard-boiled eggs (optional)
- 7 oz cucumber and carrot pickle (acar) (optional)
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Drain the soaked 10 ½ oz long-grain white rice and 3 ½ oz glutinous (sticky) rice, mix together and spread in a steamer lined with a muslin cloth. Steam over a high heat for 20 minutes until the grains are just tender.
20 minStep 2: Meanwhile warm 250 ml of the 1 cup coconut milk with 1 teaspoon of the 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp sugar until steaming, but not boiling.
Step 3: Tip the hot rice into a bowl, pour over the warm coconut milk and stir in 1 teaspoon of the 1 tsp fenugreek seeds, 4 shallots and 20 g of the ¾ oz fresh ginger in matchsticks. Leave to absorb for 5 minutes.
5 minStep 4: Return the rice to the steamer and steam for another 20 minutes until soft, glossy and slightly sticky. Fluff with a fork.
20 minStep 5: For the curry, blend 6 shallots, 3 cloves garlic, ½ oz galangal and the remaining ⅓ oz fresh ginger to a paste.
Step 6: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a pan over a medium heat. Fry the rest of the 1 tsp fenugreek seeds for 20 seconds, then the paste for 5 minutes, then the 3 tbsp fish curry powder for 3 minutes, until the oil separates and it smells toasty. A common mistake is adding the liquid before the curry powder is cooked out; the curry then tastes dusty and raw.
8 minStep 7: Add 1 ¼ cups water, 2 stalks lemongrass and 3 dried tamarind slices (asam keping) and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour in the rest of the 1 ½ cups coconut milk and bring back to a gentle simmer.
6 minStep 8: Slip in the 1 ⅛ lb fresh tuna or bonito steaks, add 1 tbsp palm sugar and the rest of the 1 tsp salt. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 8–10 minutes without stirring hard, until the fish is opaque all the way through and flakes when pressed (145°F/145 °F).
10 minStep 9: Serve mounds of rice with the curry spooned over and beside, plus eggs and acar if you like.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 720 kcal
- Protein
- 37 g
- Carbs
- 88 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does nasi dagang take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 70 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of long-grain white rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of coconut milk?
- Single cream, same amount (not dairy free).
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