Nasi lemak from Tony Tan

Longtime Melbourne chef and Trentham cooking school owner Tony Tan shared this recipe on Drive's Foodie Tuesday segment.

Tony says "this delectable one-dish meal is as much a hawker favourite as it is a festive offering throughout Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia".

"Several versions exist, some being more elaborate than others. But the key features are the fabulous rich rice and a fiery sambal usually made with dried chillies with the occasional fresh chilli tossed in for that vibrant colour."

The secret ingredient in this sambal is ikan bilis: dried anchovies.

This recipe is long and appears complicated but it is pretty easy once your break down the components. Wait till you taste it — it certainly is worth all your effort. The beef rendang recipe is optional.