A vegan version of the Malaysian national dish, Nasi Lemak. Fragrant coconut rice, spicy & briny sambal, roasted peanuts, and fresh cucumbers come together to create a flavor explosion.

Nasi Lemak (“creamy rice”) is traditionally served and/or cooked with anchovies, dried shrimps, squid, and hard boiled eggs. To vegan-ize the dish, I’m borrowing that funky, seafood-y flavor from a couple of plant-based ingredients, namely doubanjiang (fermented spicy bean paste), miso paste, nori (dried seaweed), and kombu dashi.

You get the spicy & seafood-y tang from the sambal, floral fragrance from the coconut rice, nuttiness from the roasted peanuts, caramelized sweetness from the crispy shallots, and coolness from the fresh cucumbers. Not to mention the fried tofu, which is a meaty, fulfilling source of protein that completes this hearty plate.

Hi George! Thank you v much for veganising one of my favourite dishes on the planet. It looks amazing, cannot wait to cook this 🙂
Hi Claudia!! Considering I’m seeing this late, you’ve probably tried it already!! I hope it lived up to your standards xxx
Hi George! this looks amazing! Can you make the sambal with fresh chiles? Thanks!
Hi Anna!! Yes, the sambal should be perfect with fresh chiles~
Hello,
This looks amazing. Thanks for sharing this recipe. Where can I find the panadan leaves in UK (London)?
Hi Fowz, I’m not sure about the UK, as I’ve never lived there! My best guess is an Asian market. If you can’t find pandan leaves there either, perhaps you can look for pandan extract!
Looks delicious! Is there a good substitute for pandan leaves? I cannot find those in my city.
Hi Zeph! If you can find pandan extract, I recommend using that. Some say that vanilla extract is also a good substitute, but I haven’t tried it myself.