There are many parts of the country that I have not been to, some parts of Sarawak even, so what more to say those in Sabah and beyond the sea in the peninsula. For instance, on the east coast of West Malaysia, I have only been to Kuantan sometime in the mid-80’s. Thus, I have not had the chance to taste some of the delicacies from the states there like Kelantan and Trengganu, except perhaps keropok lekor which is easily available here.
But the other morning, my regular kuih-muih stall at Bandong here resumed business after an extended Hari Raya break and they were selling nasi kerabu which, according to them, was made by a Kelantanese living in Sibu. I decided to give it a try and bought a packet. When I reached home, I opened it up and by George, the rice was blue…
…and as you can see, there were a lot of raw vegetables on top. I do recall eating kerabu before at the buffets in some KL hotels e.g. kerabu pucuk paku but they tossed it in vinegar and stuff, so it was something like a Thai salad and quite different from these.
There was also a fish in the packet…
…and a green chilli stuffed with something – I think it was fish mixed with grated coconut and dunno-what-else…
…and there was some grated coconut as well, though I could not tell in what manner it had been cooked…
…and TWO types of sambal…
I was told that I would have to mix everything together to eat and I did just that. The first one or two mouthfuls felt a bit peculiar as it was not a taste I was accustomed to but as I went on eating, I began to like it more and more.
By the time I finished, I felt that it was really nice, except that I was sweating and vigorously blowing hot air as a result of the green cili padi in it. But all in all, I really enjoyed it and would not mind buying it, should I happen to stumble upon it again…
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
Blue berry muffins,pancakes, I like, but blue rice, don’t think can stomach! Like eating playdough. Maybe it is an acquired taste…..
I’m sure you have seen the blue-coloured glutinous rice (pulut) in nyonya kuihs, sometimes even in kuih salat (tinggi salad) or serimuka. It seems that they use some kind of flower for the colouring. I saw that on AFC (Asian Food Channel) and it has some cultural significance in the nyonya-baba community – they make those blue-coloured pulut to give to friends and relatives when a baby boy is born in the family.
hahahaha…eating playdoh!
Trust Stella to let her imagination run wild. It is very nice though – I think the two types of sambal make it taste really good. One, I understand, is some salted fish sauce – so maybe it’s something like our buduk aur that we use as a dip when eating dabai… Ooooo…just thinking of it makes me drool! LOL!!!
The blue colouring of the rice comes from the bunga telang; at least that’s what they used traditionally 🙂 Apart from the colouring, it tastes just like nasi lemak ..
and boy! nasi kerabu is delicious with all the sambal and grated coconut … *drools*
It is very delicious…but VERY hot because of the cili padi! I don’t know if the rice actually tastes like nasi lemak or not as I mixed everything together, as instructed, and ate. Ya…normally, they use the flower for the blue colouring but I don’t know for sure in this case. Maybe I’ll ask them next time…
The blue color is very stunning & I never had colored rice so far! I never been to East M’sia & hope can visit the island places there with my family one day! Cheers 🙂
Welcome and thanks for dropping by. I’ll link you in my blogroll. I guess you’re from West Malaysia and if you have never tasted blue rice or nasi kerabu, the chances of us over here eating that is much less. Luckily we’ve some Kelantan lady living here, so I had the opportunity to try that. It was nice and I would not mind having it again some time.
You should come over to East Malaysia some day. After all, everyone can fly…and the golden airline is having “every day low fares” right now. You’ll find it really different here and even between Sabah and Sarawak. But if you’re into islands and clear blue seas (and beautiful mountains), you’ll have to head to our neighbouring state, Sabah. They’re really beautiful there – nothing in the peninsula can compare!
hey, this is something new.. kelantanese.. been there once only, eaten the grilled fish and some kuih before, but definitely not the blue rice.. i think it is not artificial colouring, something from the leaves or … whatever, it is natural, like those nyonya bah chang, the pulut is blue in colour too…
I like to try different food too though i dont eat in quantities… a spoonful or 2 will be just nice for me….
They use flowers for the blue colour – bunga telang…the same way we use pandan leaves when we want green. There, you’re so near…and yet, I’ve had the chance to eat and you haven’t. Guess I’m more adventurous! LOL!!!
Oooo….Nasi Kerabu…I love it!!! I first tasted the blue rice in Kelantan when I went there for jalan-jalan a couple of years ago. My Kelantanese friends said there are also green and purple rice apart from the blue one. Now I’m missing it… *drool drool*
Hah!!! I’ll find out from the stall. Hope they have it when you come home end of the month and then I can buy for you to enjoy! Yum! Yum! Hahahahahaha!!!!
owh…nasi kerabu…heard of it, but never try it. was intimidated by the blue colour of the rise. haha…it’s so blue, wonder how they make it?
They use some flower petals. Saw that on Asian Food Channel… I’ve tried nasi dagang before though at a buffet lunch at some KL hotel. My Trengganu friend claimed it to be the state specialty and insisted that I tried – eaten with fish curry. The rice is white though…but between the two, I think nasi kerabu is nicer. Must be the salted fish sauce and the sambal that make it taste great!
wahhh, nasi kerabu, one of my favourite, its delicous, its got variety of taste, hot, sour, salt and everything, i love it, still waiting for the makcik kueh to open her stall selling nasi kerabu, i usually bought it for breakfast, dang heavy breakfast, hehe
Breakfast? Gosh!!! Hahahahaha!!! I bought the packet in the morning but I had it for lunch…so it was cold. Next time, I’ll microwave it a bit… Yum! Yum! 😀
I tried nasi kerabu before, although the rice wasn’t blue. Can’t say that i like it – don’t really like the raw ‘green’ taste of the veg, but I guess it’s an acquired taste, like that medicinal vegetarian-soup thing that you eat with rice, fried towkua pieces and peanuts….the name escapes me….suddenly don’t remember what it’s called. Anyway, certainly won’t be on my list of “food to eat while back in Kch”
Ya…I read somewhere that when they can’t get the flowers, the rice will be white. You mean “lui char”? Eyew…that’s one thing I will not eat too! Doesn’t even look appetising! The raw veg in this one when mixed with the fried grated coconut and the sambals – it is really quite nice…like ulam!
Liu Cha definitely an acquired taste…I quite like it. Hehe!
To each his/her own! You can have it all, thank you very much! Hahahahaha!!!
eeewww blue rice! Hope it’s not some blue colouring! Anyway, I don’t think I’ll ever like something like that. I’m not very adventurous when it comes to malay/indian cuisine.
Ya…come to think of it, you don;t seem to have posts on Malay or Indian food. Hey! Banana leaf bryani is nice…!
tat wooden shop in town selling tempiangwu at morning…i mean nite time we being brought to market to eat n nth special… 😦
u duno how to enjoy wild animals… *yummy*
if u go kl go kampung baru as thre owes got as long queue of ppl eating nasi kerabu o another stall nasi lemak antarabangsa…*but i nvr eat b4* 😛
I know the shop – don’t think it’s wooden lah… Eyew! I only eat wild boar, not the other creepy crawlies. Wah! In KL you go for the high-class expensive stuff lah! That’s why never eaten nasi kerabu… LOL!!!
Where did you get it?
I’m interested in giving it a try when I’m in Sibu!
=)
Give me a tinkle if you’re planning to come down one weekend (I think you have my number? Cheryl has…) and I can check with the stall to see if they have it. They may not have it every day. It’s at Bandong in the Melanau kampung area here – only in the morning.
So you had acquired the taste of nasi kerabu lar? :p
Actually I ate it once or twice back in uni! Back then…the taste is so…weird. Haha 😀 Maybe it is because of the colour!
One man’s meat is another man’s poison… For instance, I don’t really like Japanese food but many are crazy over it…
The rice is so blue. Never try this before. Nasi Kerabu…what they use to make the rice blue colour? Something new to me. Next time should go Bandung more.
They use flower petals for the blue colour… You’ll be surprised at what you can find at Bandong – in the morning…or lunch time…or around 4 p.m. – there are different stalls selling different things.
When I read the part about Kelantanese living in Sibu, Captain Rosli came to mind.. HAHAHAHAHAHA.. *imagining Clare making Nasi Kerabu.. hahaha*
anyway.. yeah.. the flavour gradually grows on you.. first bite makes you think that it taste… errr.. smell green? (direct translation of hokkien “chau chei”) hahaha
Oh? The hubby’s from Kelantan?…Not actually the raw green taste but the taste of the salted fish taste, the sambal, everything.
yup.. one of those rare UMNO members in Kelantan.. hahaha
LOL!!!…You’ll never know! Remember Judas Iscariot! LOL!!!
The blue color is very beautiful!
LOL!!! I would prefer it to be in a lighter shade. Wouldn’t be so much of a culture shock for someone who had never had blue rice before!
i think i saw this blue rice or heard it before, but never try it. The colour look nice, how is the taste? Just like normal nasi?
It’s very nice. Went there this morning but they’re all sold out. They say they’re going to have nasi dagang (Trengganu)…so when I get hold of that, I’ll feature it in another post. I love trying new stuff…
yeah, nasi kerabu rawks! love ’em 🙂
Ya?…So that’s one more thing to eat if/when you come to Sibu! 🙂
i don eat rice…every1 knew tat… 😉
You don’t? Why?…You eat bread and potatoes like ang moh people, is it? LOL!!!
Wah, finished everything…..nothing left….STP got some new teeth or dentures already? he he he!
Nope…still quite a lot of things that I can eat and I still have one upper molar left. That helps a lot…but when that too is gone, that will be goodbye to all the nice food for sure…
ahhhhhh…nasi kerabu…my favourite. im going there to get it……..i had plenty of those during the puasa month. must be the same guy who made it during puasa becoz the one i always buy then also had blue coloured rice and the same fish. the packing for the Budu also the same heheheheehe
Went this morning – sold out!!! They reserved a packet for me…and I’m saving it for my missus to try when she comes home from work this evening Sayang bah! LOL!!!