recipescooks.info http://recipescooks.info/malaysia-cooking/rice-salad-perfumed-with-herbs-nasi-ulam-recipe

Rice salad perfumed with herbs (Nasi ulam) Recipe

This rice dish originates from the east coast of Malaysia where it is served cold during the fasting month bythe Muslims. The fast is broken with a sweet rosewater drink to slake the thirst, followed by this aromaticherbal rice, searingly hot and tart with fresh lime juice, with a spicy sweet sambal on the side. Herbal rice issaid to aid digestion, cleanse and refresh the body. It is served in many parts of Asia, including Myanmarand Indonesia. The Indians serve a similar Ayurvedic-influenced tamarind rice salad believed to “cool” thebody.

Ingredients :

400 g (4 cups) cooked rice

3-4 betel leaves, soaked in water (enough to cover) mixed with 1 tablespoon sugar for 2 hours,then drained and thinly shredded

1 onion, finely sliced and stir-fried until golden in 1 tablespoon oil

60 g (1/2 cup) dried prawns, rinsed and dry-roasted until crisp

1/2 turmeric leaf, rolled and thinly sliced

2 sprigs curry leaves, chopped

3 sprigs Vietnamese mint, chopped

40 g (1 cup) Thai basil leaves, chopped

40 g (1 cup) mint leaves, chopped

2 kaffir lime leaves, cut into fine threads

1 small sprig fresh thyme, chopped

1/2 tablespoon grated fresh galangal root

250 g (1 cup) grated green papaya

10 peppercorns, dry-roasted and crushed

2 tablespoons tamarind pulp, mashed with 4 tablespoons boiling water and strained to obtain the juice

Salt, to taste

PICKLED CUCUMBER

4 baby or Lebanese cucumbers

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (250 ml) vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

Method :

1. Prepare the Pickled Cucumber first by thinly slicing the cucumbers with a mandolin as shown. In a large bowl, mix the cucumber sliceswith a little salt and set aside for 5 minutes. Squeeze the liquid from the cucumber slices, then rinse quickly, drain and dry on papertowels. Combine the vinegar and sugar in a bowl and mix until the sugar is dissolved. Add the sliced cucumber and mix until wellcoated. Allow to marinate for 2 hours, then drain and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combined the cooked rice with all the other ingredients except the tamarind juice and salt. Gently toss the mixture untilwell blended, adding the tamarind juice a little at a time. Do not use all the tamarind juice; add just enough to separate the rice grains.Season with salt to taste, transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately with the Pickled Cucumber on the side. This dish goeswell with pickled limes too.

SERVES : 4–6PREPARATION TIME : 45 mins + 2 hours to marinateCOOKING TIME : 5 mins

© 2015 - recipes cooks .information All rights reserved.