Blue Herb Rice (Nasi Kerabu)
Nasi Kerabu Say it: NAH-see keh-RAH-boo
Nasi kerabu is Kelantan's vivid blue rice salad, a festive dish sold from morning stalls and served at celebrations. Jasmine rice is tinted with butterfly-pea flowers and cooked with coconut milk, then piled with raw herbs, cucumber, bean sprouts, flaked fried fish, toasted coconut kerisik and a fiery sambal. The result is cool, fragrant and savoury, with a gentle sweetness from coconut and a sharp lift from lime and budu. It is as much a herb salad as a rice dish, and each plate is assembled to order.
Blue Herb Rice (Nasi Kerabu)
Nasi Kerabu
Pronounced NAH-see keh-RAH-boo
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 hr 10 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains fish, shellfish, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the blue rice
For the kerisik and sambal
For the toppings
For the dressing
Method
Steep the dried butterfly-pea flowers in the 1/4 cup (60 ml) hot water for 10 minutes, then strain and press the flowers to extract as much blue liquid as possible. If using butterfly-pea powder, stir it into the hot water and let it settle.
Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then place it in a rice cooker or heavy pot with the coconut milk, 1 cup (240 ml) water, blue infusion, salt, pandan and lemongrass. Cook until tender and all liquid is absorbed; if using a pot, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and cook 12–15 minutes, then rest off heat 10 minutes. Remove the pandan and lemongrass and fluff the rice with a fork.
While the rice cooks, toast the desiccated coconut in a dry frying pan over medium heat, stirring, until deep golden brown and fragrant, 5–7 minutes. Pound or pulse to a coarse paste; this is the kerisik.
Make the sambal. blend the soaked chillies, shallots, garlic, belacan, tamarind paste, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a smooth paste. Heat the 3 tablespoons (45 ml) oil in a pan over medium heat and fry the paste, stirring, until darkened and the oil separates at the edges, 8–10 minutes.
Pat the mackerel dry and rub with the 1/2 teaspoon salt. Heat the 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat and fry the fish 3–4 minutes per side until golden and just cooked through. Cool slightly, then flake, discarding skin and bones.
Pick the leaves from the daun kesum, mint and Thai basil; thinly slice the torch ginger; julienne the cucumber; shred the cabbage; and rinse and drain the bean sprouts. If using fresh eggs, boil them for 8 minutes, cool, peel and quarter; if using ready-cooked salted duck eggs, simply quarter them.
Stir the budu and lime juice together in a small bowl to make the dressing.
Divide the blue rice among four plates. Top with the herbs, cucumber, bean sprouts, cabbage, flaked fish, kerisik, sambal and egg, then drizzle with the budu-lime dressing. Serve immediately, with extra sambal on the side.
Regional variant: Nasi Kerabu Ayam (Blue Herb Rice with Fried Chicken)
Replace the mackerel with 1 lb (450 g) boneless chicken thighs, marinated for 20 minutes in 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) coconut milk. Deep-fry in about 2 cups (480 ml) oil until golden and crisp, then slice and pile over the blue rice with the same herbs, kerisik, sambal and dressing.
Cook's notes
- Cook the rice slightly firmer than usual so it stays distinct under the wet toppings.
- Toast the coconut until deep golden, but watch closely: it can go from golden to burnt in seconds.
- If butterfly-pea flowers are hard to find, use butterfly-pea powder or a few drops of blue food colouring in the hot water for the rice.
Serve with
Extra sambal and budu, lime wedges, and hot Malaysian tea or iced coconut water.
Make ahead and storage
Cook the rice and sambal up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate; keep herbs and toppings separate. Reheat rice covered with a splash of water, and assemble just before serving.
