Nasi ulam is a traditional Malay dish of rice (nasi) served with steamed or raw vegetables (ulam) that is accompanied by sambal (chilli paste).1
Description
Also known as kampong (village) salad, nasi ulam is a traditional dish in Malay and Peranakan (Straits Chinese) cuisine.2 Nasi ulam has been a popular dish with the natives of the Malay Peninsula. But like many dishes in Southeast Asia, other cultures also have their own versions of the dish, especially the Peranakans who adapted the dish, which has become an integral part of Straits cooking.3 Nasi ulam has been described as the queen of all Peranakan rice dishes.4 The Peranakan version of nasi ulam involves mixing rice with finely-chopped fresh herbs and flaked fish.5 The herbs used include kaffir lime leaves, laksa leaves, basil leaves, lemongrass and turmeric leaves.6
Unlike the western green salad that is usually accompanied by European style dressings such as vinaigrette, nasi ulam is eaten together with sambal.7 Just as there is a large variety of ulam (raw vegetables), so too are there a large variety of sambal.8 The white rice can be enhanced with a variety of combinations of ulam and sambal depending on individual preferences.9
Variants
There are about 50 varieties of ulam and numerous varieties of sambal.10 Nasi ulam is usually made with the eight most popular varieties of raw vegetable.11 Some of these are ulam raja (king of greens, stem and leaf) with sambal udang (chilli paste with dried prawns), kachang botol (winged bean, young fruit) with sambal belacan (chilli with prawn paste), petai (young beans) with sambal goreng (fried chilli paste) or daun pegaga (leaf and root) with sambal kelapa (chilli paste with coconut), terung pipit (fruit) or pucuk gajus (leaf and shoot) with any other combination of sambal.12
In the Malaysian states of Kelantan and Trengganu, nasi ulam and nasi kerabu are synonymous.13 The recipes vary between places and communities.14 The Chinese prefer to blanch the vegetables to remove any bitterness.15 The Malays and Indians eat the ulam raw but the latter add pucuk karupelai (curry leaf).16
Author
Suchitthra Vasu
References
1. Tatham, P. (1995). ‘Wild green salads’ In Wine and Dine, 10 (54), 56. (Call no.: RSING 641.05 WD); Tan, A. (2007, August 16). One-dish wonder. Today, p. 45. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
2. Tatham, P. (1995). ‘Wild green salads’ In Wine and Dine, 10 (54), 56. (Call no.: RSING 641.05 WD); Tan, T. (1996). Nonya Cooking: The easy way. Singapore: Times Books International, p. 123. (Call no.: RSING 641.5929505957 TAN)
3. Tan, T. (1996). Nonya Cooking: The easy way. Singapore: Times Books International, pp. 85, 123. (Call no.: RSING 641.5929505957 TAN)
4. Tan, T. (1996). Nonya Cooking: The easy way. Singapore: Times Books International, p. 123. (Call no.: RSING 641.5929505957 TAN)
5. Tan, T. (1996). Nonya Cooking: The easy way. Singapore: Times Books International, p. 123. (Call no.: RSING 641.5929505957 TAN); Leong, C. (2001, April 1). Eat this on its own. The New Paper, p. 36. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
6. Leong, C. (2001, April 1). Eat this on its own. The New Paper, p. 36. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
7. Tatham, P. (1995). ‘Wild green salads’ In Wine and Dine, 10 (54), 56. (Call no.: RSING 641.05 WD)
8. Tatham, P. (1995). ‘Wild green salads’ In Wine and Dine, 10 (54), 56. (Call no.: RSING 641.05 WD)
9. Tatham, P. (1995). ‘Wild green salads’ In Wine and Dine, 10 (54), 56. (Call no.: RSING 641.05 WD); Leong, C. (2001, April 1). Eat this on its own. The New Paper, p. 36. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
10. Tatham, P. (1995). ‘Wild green salads’ In Wine and Dine, 10 (54), 56. (Call no.: RSING 641.05 WD)
11. Tatham, P. (1995). ‘Wild green salads’ In Wine and Dine, 10 (54), 56. (Call no.: RSING 641.05 WD)
12. Tatham, P. (1995). ‘Wild green salads’ In Wine and Dine, 10 (54), 56. (Call no.: RSING 641.05 WD)
13. Tatham, P. (1995). ‘Wild green salads’ In Wine and Dine, 10 (54), 57. (Call no.: RSING 641.05 WD)
14. Tatham, P. (1995). ‘Wild green salads’ In Wine and Dine, 10 (54), 58. (Call no.: RSING 641.05 WD); Tan, A. (2007, August 16). One-dish wonder. Today, p. 45. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
15. Tatham, P. (1995). ‘Wild green salads’ In Wine and Dine, 10 (54), 58. (Call no.: RSING 641.05 WD)
16. Tatham, P. (1965). 'Wild green salads' In Wine and Dine, 10 (54), 58. (Call no.: RSING 641.05 WD)
The information in this article is valid as at 2016 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history on the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.
The information on this page and any images that appear here may be used for private research and study purposes only. They may not be copied, altered or amended in any way without first gaining the permission of the copyright holder.
Kuih tutu is a small steamed cake made of finely pounded rice flour with a ground peanuts or grated coconut filling. Thought to be Chinese or South Indian in origin, kuih tutu is believed to be unique to Singapore. ...
Kolam, which means “beauty”, is a floor drawing made of coloured flour, and is used for ornamental or ceremonial design during traditional Indian festivities. In Northern India, it is known as rangoli. ...
The buah keluak (Pangium edule) tree is indigenous to Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, and is known as kepayang and kluwek in the first two countries respectively. The seeds of the buah keluak fruit are used in Malay, Indonesian and Peranakan (Straits Chinese) cooking, after various processes of underground fermentation, soaking...
Senoko Fishing Port, located at the northern end of Singapore in Woodlands, was officially opened on 6 December 1997. The 3.24-hectare port has the capacity to manage up to 20 tonnes of fish a day. ...
Pak choi (Brasica rapa var chinensis) is a leafy vegetable that originated from south China. It is appreciated for its versatility as the whole plant is edible and can be cooked in many ways....
Ketupat is a diamond-shaped rice cake. This Malay food staple is made of cooked rice compressed and wrapped in woven coconut leaves. Originating from Indonesia and Malaysia, ketupat is often consumed as an accompaniment to meat dishes such as satay (skewered barbecued meat) or stews, although the traditional version has...
Satay (sate in Bahasa Indonesia) is a dish similar to kebabs in that it is made of cubes of skewered meat that is grilled and eaten with a peanut sauce dip. Tracing its origins to the Arabs, satay has been adapted to the multicultural palates of Asians, with various spicy...
Putu mayam is a south Indian snack of rice flour noodles, steamed and eaten with sweetened toppings such as grated coconut and gula melaka (palm sugar), or with savoury dishes such as curry, stew or chutney. Known in English as string hoppers, the snack is usually served as a breakfast...
Bubble tea is a beverage originating from Taiwan comprising tea with fruit syrup or milk added, and then shaken. Tapioca balls or “pearls” are often added to the concoction as well. This beverage has undergone a few waves of popularity in Singapore....
It is believed that Warong Nasi Pariaman is the oldest surviving stall in Singapore that serves nasi padang – rice with mixed dishes, originating from the city of Padang in West Sumatra, Indonesia. The stall is famous for its authentic Padang dishes, particularly beef rendang, which is cooked without coriander...