Nasi Lemak (Coconut Rice)

The Swallow's family enjoy Nasi Lemak. A traditional meal of Nasi Lemak, which is also known as Coconut Rice, in Singapore is usually served during breakfast. It is accompanied by sambal (a cooked chilli paste), fried peanuts, fried anchovies , a few cucumber slices and a few slices of hard-boiled eggs. Additional dishes can be added to this and the dish eaten during lunch or dinner.

Preparing the Nasi Lemak meal at home is a process that takes some time, but the smiles on the her family's faces...priceless! The process is also made easier with the use of a rice cooker, and doing meal preparation over a few days rather than a few hours.

NASI LEMAK (COCONUT RICE) (serves 4 - 6)

Nasi Lemak (Coconut Rice)

Ingredients

2 cups long grain rice
100 ml coconut cream
water
1/2 tsp salt
A bunch of pandan leaves, rinsed and tied together in a knot (optional)

Method

1. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Placed the washed rice in a rice cooker. Add the coconut cream and enough water to reach the '3 cups' mark in the rice cooker. Add salt and mix well.
2. Do not cover the pot yet. Cook the rice according to manufacturer's guidelines. Allow the mixture to come to a boil, stirring occasionally.
3. When the water is boiling, cover the lid and let the rice cook until the rice cooker switches off automatically. 
4. Once the rice cooker signals its readiness, remove the lid and fluff the rice. Return the lid and switch off the heat.

Putting it together

1. To serve, place the amount of rice to be consumed on a plate.
2. Add the sambal e.g. Sambal Tumis or Sambal Ikan Bilis.
3. Add cucumber slices.
4. Add fried peanuts, fried anchovies and hard-boiled eggs.
5. Add other optional items like fried luncheon meat, fried chicken, fried fish.

Notes

1. Sambal can be made in advanced, cooled and kept in the fridge for up to five days. Re-heat before serving it with the rice.
2. As different rice cookers may bring different results, experiment. If a different texture is preferred for the rice, adjust the water amount.
3. The amount of coconut cream added also plays a part in the end result. Adjust as needed.

Tulipmania

In March, the Swallow and her mate made a visit to Gardens by the Bay.

Now she is given another opportunity to visit again. This time was with some friends back in Singapore for a holiday after their migration to Canada and they went to view the colourful Tulipmania display.

Click here to view photos taken at the display.

A Visit to Gardens by the Bay

The Swallow made her first trip to Gardens by the Bay with her mate. Amazed by the colourful display but limited by a low battery level on her mobile, she kept her photo-taking to mainly pictures of flowers in her favourite colour.

Click here to view these photos.

To See Jesus

The memory verse in Sunday School today was "Thou shalt call His name JESUS." based on Matthew 1:21. The whole verse reads "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins." (NKJV)  Further verses reveal the pursuit of the Wise Men from the East to find and worship the One who had been born King of the Jews. This pursuit lead them first to Jerusalem, and then to Bethlehem. When they finally found the One they were truly looking for, the immediate response was "they fell down and worshiped Him." Matthew 2:11 (NKJV)

The sermon preached from the pulpit today was from the passage in John 12:20-26, "Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus. But Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honour."

The speaker related the story of Jim Elliot whose life was lost in the jungles of Ecuador to emphasize this point of dying to self.  Having his life taken by the tribal people whom he was trying to reach with the gospel of Christ, Jim Elliot may have been called a fool by world's standards but he was in pursuit of a higher calling.  He was serving His Lord and Master.

Wish to see Jesus?  "Let him follow Me, and where I am, there My servant will be also."

Having found Him? "They fell down and worshiped Him."