Vegan Nasi Lemak with Crispy Tempeh

Ingredients

For 5 portions

• 🍚 400g white rice (dry)
• 🥥 400ml coconut milk, canned
• 🥤 250ml tap water
• 🌿 3 leaves pandan leaves
• 🪴 10g ginger
• 🧂 1 Tsp salt
• 🌶️ 25g sun dried chillies
• 🧅 120g shallots
• 🧄 4 cloves garlic
• 🥣 1 Tbsp miso
• 🧅 1 medium onions
• 🫛 1 Tbsp tamarind
• 🍚 2 Tbsp sugar
• 🏺 7 Tbsp sunflower oil
• 🧈 250g tempeh
• 🥣 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 🥜 80g peanuts
• 🥒 200g cucumber

Method

1. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Put it in a pan with the coconut milk, water, knotted pandan leaves, sliced ginger and salt. Bring to the boil, cover, turn the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 15 minutes. Leave covered off the heat for 10 minutes.
2. For the sambal, soak the dried chillies in boiling water for 15 minutes, then drain. Blend with 80 g of the shallots, the garlic, miso and a splash of water to a smooth paste.
3. Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a pan over a medium-low heat. Fry the paste for 12–15 minutes, stirring often, until dark red and the oil separates. Add the sliced onion, tamarind, sugar and a splash of water and simmer for 5 minutes until thick and glossy.
4. Cut the tempeh into thin sticks and toss with the soy sauce. Fry in the remaining oil over a medium-high heat for 6–8 minutes, turning, until deep golden and crisp. Lift out, then fry the peanuts in the same oil for 3 minutes until golden. Fry the remaining sliced shallots until crisp, if you like.
5. Slice the cucumber.
6. Serve mounds of the coconut rice with a spoonful of sambal, the tempeh, peanuts and cucumber around it.