Blue Pea Nasi Lemak

Blue pea flowers has became a "thing" lately in food world. People started to plant and sell fresh or dried flowers to consume in social media and wet markets. Known for it's abundance benefits of anti-inflamatory,lowers high blood pressure,boost immune system and packed with anti oxidant which, helps to keep the skin clear and glowing. It's anti aging properties are another additional reason to include the beautiful flowers into our daily diet.

The vines of blue pea flowers found in many places thruout the country and one of the easiest plant to grow in a pot by seeds. I grow mine from seeds given by a friend and in few months i was having bountiful harvest of blue pea flowers. With so much of flowers,i started to adding them into my drinks,desserts and now rice. It adds gorgeous colur to the rice without any harmful food coluring. 

Ingredients

For The Rice

2 cups rice, washed and drained
2 cups coconut milk, divided
1 cup water
1 tsp salt
2"inches ginger, sliced
2 screwpine/pandan leaves, washed & knotted
1/3 tsp cherry blossom powder
6-8 pcs fresh/dried blue pea flowers 

1/4 cup hot water

For The Sambal

12-15 dried chilly, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes
3 shallots
1 yellow onion,sliced
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp belacan/dried shrimp paste
1 tsp tamarind paste dilute with 1 tbsp water
2 tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp palm sugar

Other Condiments

Fried anchovies
Hard boiled eggs/fried eggs
Fried peanuts
Sliced cucumbers

Methods

For The Rice

Soak the blue pea flowers in a 1/4 cup hot water for 10-15 minutes or till the colurs drained off from the flowers. Strain and discard the flowers.

In a rice cooker, add rice,salt,sliced ginger,pandan leaves,water,coconut milk and blue pea flower water. Stir to combine and cook the rice till done.

For The Sambal

In a blender, grind together soaked dry chilly,belacan,shallots and garlic till fine.

Heat oil in a pan and saute sliced yellow onion till translucent,add bruised lemon grass and cook for another 30 seconds.

Add the ground chilly paste mixture and cook till oil started to separate and the raw smell leaves.

Add the tamarind water and season with salt and palm sugar. Stir well to combine.

Reduce heat to medium low and simmer till the mixture thickened.

For Peanuts

Add oil in a frying pan and fry peanuts for 2-3 minutes by stirring continiuosly to prevent the nuts from burning. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen towel to drain excess oil.

For Anchovies

Washed and drain the anchovies and fry till crispy by continiously stirring. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen towel.

For Hard Boil Eggs

In a pot, add water and boil eggs for 8-10 minutes. Drain water and peel of the shell.

For Frying Eggs

In a frying pan, add oil and fried egg till done. Transfer to a plate