To make the rice, rinse and drain it. Add the coconut milk, a pinch of salt, and some water.

Add in the pandan leaves tied in a knot into the rice and cook until tender.

For the sambal:

Rinse the dried anchovies and drain the water. Pat dry and fry them until then turn golden brown and set aside.

With a mortar and pestle pound the prawn paste together with the shallots, garlic and seeded dried chilies.

Slice the red onion into rings

Soak the tamarind pulp in water for 15 minutes. Squeeze the pulp constantly to extract the flavor into the water. Drain the pulp and save the tamarind juice

Heat some oil in a skillet and fry the paste from the mortar until fragrant

Add in the red onion rings

Add in the fried anchovies and stir well.

Add in the tamarind juice, salt and sugar

Simmer on low heat until the sambal thickens. Set aside

Clean the small fish, cut them in half and season with salt. Deep fry

On a banana leaf, serve the steamed coconut rice and pour some of the sambal over the rice.

Serve with fried fish, cucumber slices, hard-boiled eggs, peanuts and more fried anchovies.

Enjoy Malaysia's national dish!