Nasi Kerabu

History

Nasi kerabu is a Malay rice dish, a type of nasi ulam, in which blue-coloured rice is eaten with dried fish or fried chicken, crackers, pickles and other salads. The blue color of rice resulting from the petals of Clitoria ternatea (butterfly-pea) flowers (kembang telang)used in cooking it.The rice can also be cooked with plain white rice or rice cooked using turmeric. It is often eaten with solok ladaand is also eaten with fried keropok.

Nasi kerabu is very popular in the east coast states of Malaya such as Kelantan and Terengganu, and now can be found throughout Malaysia as well as in southern Thailand where it is known as khāoyam (ข้าวยำ IPA: [kʰâːw jam]).

The dish features in the title of Zan Azlee's book and video Operation Nasi Kerabu: Finding Patani In An Islamic Insurgency.

How To Cook ?

Herb Rice Salad with Grilled Beef Recipe (Nasi Kerabu Daging Panggang)

Ingredients:

Main ingredients:
1 cup grated coconut 
4 cups cooked rice, cooled and flaked 
1 lemon grass - white part only, finely sliced
1 torch ginger bud (bunga kantan), finely sliced
4 shallots, thinly sliced 
20g young root ginger, finely shredded 
10g young galangal root, finely shredded
5g turmeric root, finely shredded 
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper 
1 small piece (200g) tender beef, grilled and finely shredded 

For the leafy herb mixture: 
5 leaves daun kaduk 
5 sprigs daun kesum (stems removed) 
1 small bunch daun pegaga 
3 sprigs ulam raja 
3 sprigs mint (stems removed)
5 leaves daun cekur 
2 kaffir lime leaves 
1 turmeric leaf (daun kunyit) 

Method: 

1. Stack the leafy herbs together and roll up tightly, using the larger leaves to wrap the smaller, finer leaves. Using a sharp knife, shred leaves very finely. Set aside.
2. Dry fry grated coconut in a wok over low heat, stirring constantly till the coconut turns a deep golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes, then grind in a mortar and pestle or whiz for a few seconds in an electric chopper to make fine crumbs. 
3. Place the cooled rice in a large mixing bowl and add all the remaining ingredients - toasted coconut, shredded herbs, lemon grass, torch ginger, shallots, ginger, galangal, turmeric, salt, pepper and shredded beef. Toss gently until well mixed and serve.