Nasi Kunyit 黃薑飯 Steamed Glutinous Rice With Turmeric And Coconut Milk - "Malaysian Monday 71"

I was about to write a rain cheque for this week's MM post but that was before I saw the delicious nasi lemak kuning (yellow coconut rice) at my favourite Makcik Manggis' blog Jom Masak ...Jom Makan-Makan. The fragrant coconut rice beautifully coloured with turmeric reminded me of something I cooked when my dear firend A came over for dinner one night.

Nasi kunyit (or turmeric rice in Malay) is a significant dish for the Peranakan/Nyonyas, given out as  gift together with the likes of red eggs and ang ku kueh (red rice cakes with sweet filling in the shape of tortoise) to friends and relatives when a baby turn's one month's old. 

Traditionally served with chicken curry and that was exactly what I did when A came over to keep me company when the other tummy was away.

Please remember to head over to my friend Sharon's blog Test With Skewer to check out the 19th Muhibbah Malaysian Monday roundup!

serves 4 as a one dish meal
you'll need;
600 g of glutinous rice
2 tbs of turmeric powder
2 cups of water
2 pieces of asam keping (tamarind peel)* or a juice from half a lime
400 ml of coconut milk
pinch of salt
2 pandan leaves, knotted
Malaysian chicken curry to serve
cucumber and onion pickle to serve

Place washed glutinous rice in a large bowl and add in the water, turmeric powder, asam keping and water, stir well and leave it to soak overnight. Drain the rice well and discharge the asam keping and set aside the next day.

Place the soaked rice in a shallow bowl or a lined steamer, pour in half of coconut milk and a pinch of salt and mix well, place the knotted pandan leaves into the bowl, cover and steam over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes.

Mix in the rest of the coconut cream and mix well, cover and steam for a further 10 minutes.

Serve the fragrant turmeric rice with chicken curry. I decided to have some cucumber and onion pickles on the side to cut down the richness of the dish.

I am hosting this month's event so please send all your entries to me at sureshchong@yahoo.com, to find out more about Muhibbah Malaysian Monday and on how to participate, simply click HERE. I will be waiting!