Hunter Pastry Recipe

Rinse and soak rice

Rinse the jasmine rice in cold water until the water runs clear. Drain and let sit 10 minutes.

Combine and cook

In a medium saucepan or rice cooker, add the rinsed rice, coconut milk, water, grated turmeric (if using), salt, and pandan leaves (or pandan extract). If using a saucepan, bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly and simmer 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Prepare and heat oil

Pat the rinsed and drained anchovies dry with paper towel to minimize spatter. In a medium frying pan, heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium heat until shimmering.

Fry peanuts first

Add the peanuts and fry, stirring frequently, 2–3 minutes until golden-brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer peanuts to a paper-towel-lined plate and lightly salt them. Set aside.

Fry anchovies

In the same oil, add the anchovies in a single layer. Fry, stirring and tossing, 3–5 minutes until crisp and golden. Keep an eye to avoid burning small fish. Remove anchovies with a slotted spoon to the paper-towel-lined plate.

Season anchovies

With the pan off heat (but still warm), sprinkle the fried anchovies with 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt while they are hot; toss to coat. Combine the fried peanuts with anchovies. Taste and adjust salt if needed.

Thinly slice the cucumber into half-moons and chill briefly if desired. Halve the hard-boiled eggs. Arrange cucumber, egg halves, and torn cilantro or thinly sliced kaffir lime leaves on a platter for serving.

Soak and blend chilies

Place dried red chilies in a heatproof bowl and pour 1 cup boiling water over them. Soak 15 minutes until softened, then drain, reserving 2 tablespoons soaking liquid. In a blender or food processor, combine the softened dried chilies, fresh chilies (if using), shallots, garlic and a splash of the reserved soaking liquid. Blend to a coarse paste, adding a little water as needed to move the blades.

Cook the sambal

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the chili-shallot-garlic paste and sauté, stirring frequently, 6–10 minutes until the paste darkens and the raw aroma subsides. Add tamarind paste, palm sugar, fish sauce and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Continue to cook 2–4 minutes, stirring, until the sambal thickens slightly and flavors balance. Taste and adjust sugar, salt or tamarind to your preference. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

If you prefer a chunkier sambal, you can fry a few sliced shallots and add to the finished paste for texture.

To serve, mound a portion of warm coconut rice on each plate. Add a spoonful of sambal beside the rice, a generous handful of the fried anchovies and peanuts, cucumber slices, and half a hard-boiled egg. Garnish with a few cilantro leaves or shredded kaffir lime leaves. Sambal can be served on the side so diners control heat.

Leftovers: Store rice and sambal separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Re-crisp anchovies and peanuts in a dry skillet before serving.