Nasi Lemak

Coconut rice: rinse the rice until the water runs clear and drain. Add the water, coconut milk, a pinch of salt, and the pandan leaves, then cook. Discard the pandan leaves once the rice is cooked.

Spice paste: pound the shallots, garlic, dried chilies, and belacan with a mortar and pestle (or blend in a food processor).

Tamarind water: soak the tamarind pulp in the water for 15 minutes, squeezing to extract the flavor, then drain and keep the juice.

Fried anchovies: rinse and drain the ikan bilis. Heat the oil and fry until light brown and crispy, then drain on paper towels.

Sambal ikan bilis: heat 2 tablespoons of the frying oil over medium-low, stir-fry the spice paste until fragrant and reddish, then add the onion rings and fried anchovies. Pour in the tamarind juice, salt, and sugar and simmer on low until the sauce thickens.

Fried fish: clean and season the small fish with salt, then deep-fry in the remaining oil.

Assemble: place a scoop of rice in the center of a plate and arrange the fried fish, hard-boiled egg, roasted peanuts, and cucumber around it. Top the rice with a couple of spoonfuls of sambal and serve immediately.