The setting? A sunny Friday morning at Nasi Lemak Angah, nestled in the Batu 2 ½ market off Jalan Ipoh. My life, my life, my ...

Nasi lemak translates to “rich rice” and, at its most basic, that’s what it is, just rice cooked with coconut cream and pandan leaves. And that would be enough for a hearty breakfast.

The rice going into nasi lemak is usually steamed rather than heated directly, in order to keep the coconut milk from burning. Some aficionados employ a rice cooker, swapping the water for milk.

PETALING JAYA: Nasi lemak, one of Malaysia's favourite dishes, has been featured in the United States Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) World Factbook.