Malaysian Herb and Rice Salad | Nasi Ulam
This salad tastes good up to 3 hours after you’ve combined all the ingredients so it’s a nice party or potluck dish. You can easily double, triple, or quadruple the recipe. What you have here is a recipe that's been adapted from James Oseland's Cradle of Flavor (Norton, 2006).
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened finely shredded dried coconut
- ⅓ cup | 80ml lightly packed lemon basil Thai basil, purple perilla (tia to), Vietnamese balm (kinh gioi), or Italian basil, cut into fine matchsticks (3 tablespoons packed)
- ⅓ cup | 80ml lightly packed Vietnamese coriander, rau ram or cilantro, cut into fine matchsticks (3 tablespoons packed)
- ¼ cup | 60ml lightly packed mint leaves cut into fine matchsticks (2 tablespoons packed)
- 2 makrut lime leaves, minced (omit center ribs)
- 1 medium stalk lemongrass, trimmed and very thinly sliced
- ¼ cup | 60ml thinly sliced shallot or red onion, rinsed, and patted dry with paper towel
- About ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- About ¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground preferred
- 3 cups | 620ml cooked long-grain rice, at room temperature (see Note)
- About 1 ½ teaspoons fish sauce 1 tablespoon ground dried shrimp, or 2 tablespoons small dried shrimp, coarsely chopped and ground to a sawdust texture
- About 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Toast the coconut: In a small skillet or saucepan over medium heat, toast the coconut until fragrant and caramel colored, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir frequently to ensure even cooking. Remove from the heat and cool. Cover if you will let it sit for several hours, or its perfume diminishes.
- Ready the aromatic add-ins: Prep then put the herbs, lime leaf, lemongrass, and shallot in a mixing bowl. Add the salt and pepper. Use a large spoon to combine well.
- Mix and serve: Add the rice and about 2 tablespoons of the coconut. Toss to combine, then add the fish sauce (or dried shrimp) and lime juice. Toss, wait 5 minutes, then taste. You may need extra salt, pepper, or lime juice. Aim for a balance of all the flavors. The herbs are subtle yet their pungent fragrant selves should shine too. Transfer to a shallow dish or serving bowl, garnish with the reserved coconut.
Notes
Need a perfect rice recipe? Use my tips and perfect jasmine rice recipe instructions here.
