Nasi lemak is a hawker dish here in Singapore. It comprises of rice made fragrant with coconut cream and pandan leaves. A meal believed to be Malay in origin. Fried anchovies, sliced cucumber, fried fish called ikan selar, go with the meal. As does a tasty chilli sauce. We try a version of this hawker classic on our Artisan Experience tour.
Today, they are various versions of Nasi Lemak served up in our hawker centres.
Nasi lemak is Malay for “rice in cream”. It’s a reference to the rice that cooks in coconut milk or “richly flavoured rice”. The rice is lightly salted and made fragrant with a knot of pandan leaves added while the rice is still cooking. In the olden days, the hawker would serve the rice in a pandan leaf folded into a conical pocket. All the condiments would go in it. We can still see this method on our tour in Geylang Serai.
In Singapore, it is one of the nation’s favourite breakfast. Today, we often no longer have it in the conical pocket. In fact, it is popular to see it hot on a normal plate sometimes. What makes this dish special or tasty, is the rice as well as the sambal. The sambal is the dish’s signature condiment.
To date, this meal remains one of the cheapest meals offered in Singapore food courts and hawker centres. Many hawker stalls sell the dish as a set meal with basic accompaniments. Others offer a wide variety of side dishes.
Nasi lemak is not your average meal and is often quite large which is why we don’t have it on our normal tour.

Where you can try the best Nasi Lemak.

Let’s travel to the West side of Singapore – Boon Lay an area we don’t often visit on the tour. Here along the streets of Boon Lay Place lies a hawker stall that sees queue almost every night. A stall located near a wet market only starts when the night falls.
Boon Lay Power Nasi Pte Ltd. Yes, this stall only starts operating 4 pm – 4 am the next morning. And all they sell at that time is hot tasty Nasi Lemak. Every night especially Friday and weekend nights, there’s a big queue. All of their accompaniments are fried and prepared on the spot.
They have set meals. But most customers are here to pick and choose their accompaniments from the range. Starting with small fishes to big fish to chickens and many more. All fried and prepared from the stall, serving you hot and tasty.
I understand that this stall is run by a Singapore family and have been there since I was a little kid. Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to speak with the owner. Still, to date: Boon Lay Power Pte Ltd has branched out to 3 stalls. One of which still remains in the hot town of Boon Lay Place. While the other two are in the North and East part of Singapore. And has even branched out to operate online.
Like everyone always said, “Good things must share”.
If you want to create your own food tour, here’s the details.
Power Nasi Lemak @ Boon Lay
#01-106, Boon Lay Place Market and Food Centre, 221 Boon Lay Place, Singapore, 641221
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Boon-Lay-Power-Nasi-Lemak-719895391391316/
Website: https://powernasilemak.oddle.me/store-information
Alright folks, thank me later and till the next food tour adventure.
Join us on our tour and learn more about our food & people behind our food scene. – www.singabites.com/tours