Shallots can add texture and flavor to nasi dagang.
Nasi Dagang is a dish associated with the region of Malaysia or southern Thailand that features rice with other ingredients piled on top or mixed in. The rice dish often features local curry or spicy flavors. Seafood, such as fish, is another common addition to this dish, and many recipes also include whole boiled eggs.
The most common forms of nasi dagang involve fish, for example tuna, although other meats can be added. Usually the dish also includes various local spices. One of them is fenugreek, which is combined with coconut oil or milk for a specific flavor. Cooks also include spices like lemongrass, turmeric, and galangal to add flavor to the dish.
Another common addition to nasi dagang is pickled vegetables. A variety of pickled vegetables add bright color to the dish. Many of them are only lightly cooked or simply pickled, which adds the conventional bitter taste to the dish.
Fenugreek is a spice used in cooking and in dietary supplements.
In many nasi dagang recipes, cooks top cooked rice with pieces of fish or meat, mixed with herbs and spices. In some cases, all the ingredients are well mixed. Some nasi dagang dishes also have other specific presentations, for example serving steamed rice and pieces of fish in a banana leaf.
The rice used in this dish is usually long grain. Another common type of rice for this dish is a local form that many call “Thai sticky rice.” This rice breaks down in a way that makes it very appealing to many who enjoy dishes like nasi dagang.
In addition to all of the above, cooks can add shallots to the dish for texture and flavor. Ginger root is another common addition, where this root element is often crushed or diced. Items of butter or oil can also be added to this dish.
Ginger root is commonly added to the Nasi Dagang dish.
Although the preparation time for nasi dagang is usually not very long, those who soak the rice before steaming it can soak it for several hours. Once the rice is well prepared, it shouldn’t take long to prepare the rest of the dish. Cooking the spices and sauce ingredients allows the flavor to permeate the other elements of the dish, such as the boiled egg, rice, and fish.