ONE does not serve an iconic Malaysian dish while omitting a vital part of its ingredient.
Hence when Prof Chef Zam discovered that his nasi lemak from Bungkus Kaw Kaw came without sambal, he took to the internet to launch a fiery criticism which drew widespread attention from fellow Malaysians.
Nasi Lemak Bungkus Kaw Kaw has been swift in responding to the situation, coming up with an official statement.
According to the organisation, there are six types of Nasi Lemak being offered, each with their distinctive taste profile:
1/ Nasi lemak original (served together with nasi lemak sambal)
2/ Nasi lemak ayam rendang (served together with rendang gravy)
3/ Nasi lemak ayam merah (served together with sambal masak merah)
4/ Nasi lemak sambal udang (served together with sambal udang)
5/ Nasi lemak petai udang (served together with sambal petai)
6/ Nasi lemak asam pedas tomyam sotong (served together with nasi lemak sambal)
Nasi Lemak Bungus Kaw Kaw basically comes served with its specialised sambal / gravy. Additional payment is only needed for add-ons for the current menu.
Regarding the statement by Zam, they concurred that the nasi lemak ayam rendang is not served with nasi lemak sambal.
In response, Nasi Lemak Bungkus Kaw Kaw said they will serve nasi lemak ayam rendang together with nasi lemak sambal and the rendang gravy.
However, the organisation has a journey to go to appease their customers with the many angry comments from netizens, a majority stating that nasi lemak without sambal is unacceptable. Take it from ChefBrian Melling.
To add salt to the wound, netizen Fatin Illani showcased her RM4 nasi lemak which appears to be missing the sambal too. This is not a good day for nasi lemak fans.
Ini a flourish of word play, another netizen complained that the idea of sambal being separated from nasi lemak rendang ayam was too foreign to be accepted by the people.
Sooner or later, kuih lopes will be sold with the sugar or kuih kaswi without the grated coconut.
Finally, a netizen said that sambal was a mandatory ingredient for nasi lemak, full stop. The chef could be creative by adding cheese or even a banana on it, but the sambal was a must.
Trust us to be enraged too if we found that our chicken rice came without the chicken or roti canai without the roti.
We are not sure what is left of the roti canai when what remains is the canai, but readers should get the idea that a culinary crime has been committed here. – Aug 24, 2024
Main image: buzzkini
