Nasi Impit is a traditional Malay dish that is made from compressed rice and served with kuah kacang (peanut sauce). It is traditionally served during Raya festival but nowadays you can get it anywhere and anytime. Besides eating with peanut sauce, it is also usually accompanied satay (skewered meat) or Soto. As it is made from rice, it is a very fulfilling dish and can be enjoyed during lunch or dinner.
What is Nasi Impit?
Nasi Impit also called as Nasi Himpit or Nasi Kapit is made from cooked rice that is compressed in a container until it becomes a big lump. It is usually served in cube-shaped and eaten with peanut gravy, serunding (beef, chicken or meat flakes) or satay.
Nasi Impit is quite famous and can be easily found in a most Malay restaurant.Besides that, it is easy to make at home by using instant Nasi Impit that are sold in grocery stores and supermarkets.
History of Nasi Impit
The origin of Nasi Impit refers to the way it is made, where the rice is placed between the weights and compressed. Nasi Impit originally is food for the traveller as the process of making it made the rice able to last longer and save space.
However, as it is an interesting version of rice make it become popular and widely known across the country. Besides that, it is a versatile dish that can be eaten with anything from dry flakes to the soup.
Various Nasi Impit Dishes
A typical Nasi Impit dish is where it served with peanut sauce. The peanut sauce made from ingredients such as spices, peanuts, coconut milk, and dried chillies. The peanuts can be pounded into fine or coarse according to preferences. At some places, palm sugar is also added to enhance the colour and flavour of the sauce.
The most popular and widely available way to eat Nasi Impit is with satay. Satay usually served with peanut sauce, nasi impit, raw cucumber, and onion. The combination of protein from satay and carbohydrate from Nasi Impit makes this a fulfilling and delicious meal.
Nasi Impit can also be used in Chicken Soto. Soto is originated from Indonesia and becoming popular in Malaysia and Singapore. This dish consists of clear soup which cooked with various spices such as cumin, coriander, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, and turmeric.
It is garnished with shredded fried chicken, bean sprouts, toasted peanuts, spring onion, and fried onions. There is also sambal soy sauce at the side that gives spiciness to the meal. Besides Nasi Impit, it can be substituted with vermicelli, mee, and koey tiow.
Last but not least, Nasi Impit with Kuah Lodeh. Usually, Lontong is used to eat with Kuah Lodeh. Lontong is a type of Nasi Impit but it is made from steamed rice after being wrapped in banana leaves. However, Nasi Impit is more commonly used as it is widely available and easy to be prepared.
Kuah Lodeh main ingredients are coconut milk and vegetables such as long beans, cabbage, carrot, eggplant, cucumber, and sengkuang (turnip). Besides that, fresh prawn or squids can also be added. This dish is completed with sambal ikan bilis (anchovy’s chilli sauce) and crispy fried tempeh (fermented soybeans).
Where to find Nasi Impit in Malaysia
You did not need to wait until Raya festival to enjoy this delicious dish. You can get satay either beef, chicken or lamb with Nasi Impit from RR Delicious Satay (Johor Bahru) or get Nasi Impit with Soto or Kuah Lodeh from Restoran Sri Suasana (Kampung Pandan, Kuala Lumpur).
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