Working Mother's Nasi Lemak

Had an idea to cook my version of Nasi Lemak for dinner last night. Great idea for my family but bad idea to cook such a dish on a Monday night after returning from work. I didn't even have time to do my thin egg slices which is usually a must for me. Just no time. Poor things waited till 9pm for their dinner!

Nasi Lemak ~ side dishes to accompany the coconut milk rice

My rice did not turn out nice looking at all. I was also too panicky at the outcome to think of taking pictures of it! I'd run out of my usual brand of long grained rice and had used our existing stock of short grained rice instead. It's great for porridge but too sticky for Nasi Lemak. When I opened the rice pot, I nearly died of shock. It's the first time I've cooked Nasi Lemak that my rice turned out so bad looking. There was a layer of coconut milk sitting at the top of the rice and even the pandan leaves had floated to the top! This has never happened before. Usually I'll open my rice pot to see a nice well mixed combi of fluffy rice and coconut and the pandan leaves (which I usually tie in a knot) will usually be snuggled somewhere in the middle of the rice for me to dig out.

Anyhow, the girl (who was sick in bed with the flu) was asleep and the two hungry 'boys' were already at the table munching the side dishes, waiting very patiently for their dinner. I scooped up the rice and wondered if I should make Nasi Lemak riceballs instead (yes, they were THAT sticky). Found my ice-cream scoop (which I had only used one time after purchasing from a supermarket) and to my horror, found rust stains on the ice-cream scoop! (used ONCE only -- what type of ice-cream scoop is that?!) Had to junk the scoop and junk the idea of making the riceballs. Hubby came to the kitchen to inspect the 'damage' and thought it would be a great idea to sell Nasi Lemak riceballs just as people sell Chicken Riceballs! He promptly went back to the dining table to inform his son that Mummy's rice was a disaster.

Trying my best to remain calm, I popped the rice into a microwave and tried to get it as dry as possible. Then just scooped out the rice to the boys and apologised for the way the rice turned out to be.

My son cheekily said, 'Tsk, tsk, tsk....but Nasi Lemak is ALL about the rice'. 

'Nope!' I shook my head and corrected him, 'Actually, it's ALL about the CHILLI and you cannot complain because I got the chilli from the Nasi Lemak aunty!'

Anyhow, after a few spoonfuls, I actually received compliments from my boys, telling me the rice was very delicious, very tasty. Hmmph, son ended up eating 2 plates worth! Phew for me! Moral of the lesson? Even if I have to get tennis elbow again for already lugging so many heavy bags of grocery from the supermarket, if I have to get my Umbrella rice, I have to get my Umbrella rice!!!

Here's a picture I took last Sunday when we cooked Bak Kut Teh Soup. Isn't this a pretty sight for chilli lovers?

Red Cut Chilli Padi in an assortment of soya sauces.

When I placed the 3 bowls of chilli on the table, hubby went, 'What?!'

I was like, 'Aiyah, different types of sauce, mah. How I know which type you like?' 

He liked the one in the corn dish most.

In the Green Pepper dish, was chilli padi in light soya sauce, in the Carrot dish was chilli padi in dark soya sauce and the Corn dish contained chilli padi in dark, sweet soya sauce. See? Not the same, mah. 

Totally forgot to take the pic of the Bak Kut Teh, though.