Nasi dagang

Nasi dagang

Nasi dagang from Terengganu.
Course	Main course, usually for breakfast
Place of origin	Malaysia
Region or state	Southern Thailand, East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia (Kelantan and Terengganu), Riau Islands (Natuna & Anambas)
Serving temperature	Hot or room temperature
Main ingredients	Rice cooked in coconut milk served with Malay fish, chicken and prawn curry
Media: Nasi dagang

Nasi dagang (Jawi: ناسي داڬڠ, "Trader's Rice") is a Malaysian dish consisting of rice steamed in coconut milk, fish curry and extra ingredients such as pickled cucumber and carrots.

It is a well-known breakfast food in the states on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia (Terengganu, Kelantan, parts of Pahang and eastern Johor), southern Thai Malay provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat and across the Indonesian border in Natuna and Anambas, Riau Islands. The most famous nasi dagang comes from Tumpat in Kelantan and Kampung Ladang in Kuala Terengganu.

Ingredients

Nasi (Rice)

The combination of fenugreek seeds and coconut milk gives nasi dagang its unique flavour and fragrance. The rice may first be soaked in water for several hours to soften it. It is then mixed with thick coconut milk, sliced shallots, lemongrass and fenugreek seeds. The rice is steamed until cooked. It may also be steamed twice, where more coconut milk is added when it is half-cooked. Then the rice is steamed again until cooked. This method ensures a more creamy finish to the rice.

Kari Ikan (Fish Curry)

This accompanying dish is only specially prepared for nasi dagang and is sometimes locally called gulai darat.

This curry the fish is cooked in is not an Indian-style curry powder but a Malay-style curry, i.e., coconut milk mixed with traditional Malay spices such as lemon grass, galangal, chilli paste, and turmeric.

Tuna is the standard choice of fish but other fish can be used as well, such as tenggiri. Chicken and prawns are also used sometimes; however, the gulai darat is prepared slightly differently.

Kelapa Goreng (Fried Coconut)

Kelapa Parut is freshly shaved, mixed with sliced shallots and fried until golden brown.

Hard-boiled eggs

Hard boiled eggs are cut into four or eight slices.

Vegetable pickle

The vegetable is pickled in rice vinegar and sugar. The vegetables commonly used are cucumber, chilli and carrots.

Sambal

Chilli sambal can sometimes be included.

Telur pindang

Telur pindang, herb-boiled eggs, commonly paired with Nasi dagang among the Malay community in Thailand (Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani).

Gulai Lemak Ikan Salai

Smoked fish cooked with spicy and creamy gravy, a side dish usually being accompanied with Nasi Dagang in Natuna and Anambas Islands, Indonesia.

Variants

The Terengganu version uses the normal white rice, while the Kelantanese variety uses a type of rice locally called 'beras nasi dagang', which is a type of wild rice that has a light purple colour and a little glutinous. The Terengganuan version is also much simpler, eaten only with the fish curry (sometimes with belimbing buluh added) and pickles.

Outside the Malaysian border, it is a staple breakfast in the deep south of Thailand (Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat), the nasi dagang of southern Thailand features a closer version with the special rice used in Kelantan. While across the South China Sea, the Nasi dagang in Natuna & Anambas attributed a similar kind with the Terangganese version of the rice, this is likely due to the strong historical connection between the islands and the east coast of Malay Peninsula.

See also

• List of rice dishes
• Nasi kerabu
• Nasi lemak

External links

• (in English) Terengganu government tourism - Nasi dagang.
• (in English) Nasi dagang.
• (in Malay) Kedai Nasi Dagang Asli Terengganu - Kedai Nasi Dagang Asli Terengganu
• (in Malay) Nasi Dagang Terengganu - Nasi Dagang Asli Terengganu
• (in Malay) Resepi Nasi Dagang Terengganu - Nasi Dagang Negeri Terengganu