Where do the chefs go when they need to satiate their nasi lemak cravings?
If there’s one hawker dish that we could eat for the rest of our lives, it would have to be nasi lemak. It has everything we need for an indulgent meal—light and fluffy rice, potent sambal that elevates the dish and an assortment of accompaniments such as chicken, ikan bilis, fried fish, cucumber and peanuts.
Singapore is home to many nasi lemak stalls located in most hawker centres across the island, but not all of them are created equal. There are just some names that stand out from the pack, so we asked six chefs which places they visit when they're looking to satisfy their nasi lemak fix.
Tariq Helou, chef-owner, Fleurette
“Nasi Lemak is not a dish that I usually crave. However, when I was introduced to Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang by a friend about a year ago, my interest was piqued so I decided to try it and it really is the best I've had.
What I like about it is that you don’t feel that the different components of the dish are fighting against each other in terms of flavour; and that's remarkably difficult to achieve in a dish full of bold, rich ingredients. The chicken is marinated and then steamed first, before being grilled. The mild smokiness, coupled with the fragrant but not overly dense coconut rice, and the mouth-watering (and almost eye-watering) sambal, really ties everything up harmoniously that leaves you extremely satisfied.”
