Is nasi lemak from Malaysia or Singapore – and how did it get its name?

Once a humble breakfast dish to fuel workers, nasi lemak has become so popular it is now eaten at anytime of the day or night, and is offered in numerous countries in Southeast Asia with a large Malay population.

At its core, it consists of rice that has been cooked in coconut milk with the addition of pandan leaves. It is served with a selection of accompaniments such as peanuts, boiled egg and cucumber, and a spicy sambal (paste or sauce), which is considered the soul of nasi lemak, and the key factor in bringing the dish together.

“Traditional accompaniments are fried ikan bilis [anchovies], peanuts, boiled egg and cucumber, all wrapped in a banana leaf,” says Malaysian native Nigel Skelchy, a cooking teacher and founding partner of cafe and specialist bakery Just Heavenly in Kuala Lumpur.

“[But] now it often comes with a whole host of extras such as chicken or beef rendang and sotong [cuttlefish] cooked in sambal.”

It is so beloved in Malaysia that contemporary chefs and even noted fast-food chains have brought out their own spin on the original, with nasi lemak burgers, cake and even ice cream.

While most believe that its name comes from nasi, meaning rice, and lemak, meaning fat (although now this has come to be associated more with rich and creamy than fat), not everyone agrees.

Nadge Ariffin, a heritage historian and founder of the non-profit organisation Nusantara Academy of Development Geo-cultures & Ethnolinguistics, has an alternative view based on his research.