Rice Meals

How Many Calories in Nasi Lemuni?

A fragrant east coast herbal rice cooked with daun lemuni and light coconut milk, served with sambal, ulam, ikan bilis, and egg.

580kcal / 1 plate (rice + sambal + ulam + ikan bilis + egg)
A standard plate of Nasi Lemuni comes in at around 580 calories for a full set with rice, sambal, ulam, ikan bilis, and a hard boiled egg. The herbal rice itself accounts for 350 of those calories, so the base is already reasonably filling for the portion size. Fair warning though: these numbers are a ballpark estimate because Nasi Lemuni is niche enough that solid nutritional data is pretty thin out there.

Nutrition facts

Per 1 plate (rice + sambal + ulam + ikan bilis + egg) (360g)AmountPer 100g
Calories580 kcal161 kcal
Protein17 g5 g
Carbs62 g17 g
Fat22 g6 g

Where the calories come from

Nasi lemuni (herbal rice with light santan, ~210g cooked)210g
350 kcal
Sambal (2 tbsp, ~30g)30g
90 kcal
Telur rebus / hard boiled egg (1 medium)50g
70 kcal
Ikan bilis goreng (~15g)15g
55 kcal
Ulam / raw herb vegetables (~60g)60g
15 kcal

The real talk

Nasi Lemuni is one of those Kelantanese and Terengganu things most Malaysians outside the east coast have never tried, which is a shame because it is genuinely good. A full set comes in at around 580 calories, which is honestly not bad for a plate of rice with protein. The herbal rice cooked with daun lemuni and light santan is the main calorie driver at 350 kcal, with the sambal adding another 90. The hard boiled egg and ikan bilis bring the rest. One honest caveat though: these figures are a rough estimate, bro. Nasi Lemuni is niche enough that there is basically no formal nutritional data on it, so treat these as a ballpark rather than a lab result.

What actually changes the maths here is the sambal and what protein you add. A basic set with ulam, egg, and ikan bilis sits at 580 calories, which is manageable. But the moment you upgrade to ayam goreng berempah, that jumps to roughly 750 calories. Sambal portion matters too as 2 tablespoons is already 90 calories, and some stalls pour it on heavy. The ulam is basically free at 15 calories for 60g, so eat as much of that as you want. If you want to keep this under 500, skip the ikan bilis, go easy on sambal, and stick to the egg as your only protein. The herbal rice itself is the part worth eating lah, so do not cut that.

Nasi Lemuni variants, ranked by calories

VariantCaloriesNotes
Plain nasi lemuni (rice only, no santan)270 kcalJust the herbal rice with no coconut milk, served plain or with minimal sambal
Basic set (rice + sambal + ulam + ikan bilis + egg)580 kcalStandard hawker plate, typical base order
With ayam goreng berempah (add fried spiced chicken ~100g)750 kcalCommon upgrade; adds ~170 kcal from fried chicken

How to eat it lighter

Common questions

How many calories in Nasi Lemuni?
A standard plate of Nasi Lemuni with sambal, ulam, ikan bilis, and a hard boiled egg is around 580 calories. The rice itself (about 210g with a light coconut milk cook) makes up roughly 350 of those calories.
Is Nasi Lemuni healthier than Nasi Lemak?
They are in a similar calorie range for a basic set. Nasi Lemuni uses lighter coconut milk in the rice and comes with ulam (raw herbs) instead of the fattier Nasi Lemak condiments, so it can edge out slightly cleaner. But pile on the sambal and fried chicken and the gap closes fast.
What is daun lemuni and does it add calories?
Daun lemuni is a herb from Kelantan and Terengganu traditionally used for its fragrance and medicinal properties. The leaf itself contributes almost no calories. The calories in the rice come from the rice grain and the small amount of santan used during cooking.

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See all Rice Meals calories, ranked →

Calorie and macro figures are estimates for a typical hawker or kopitiam serving. Actual numbers vary by stall, recipe and portion size. Use them as a guide, not gospel.

New to all this? Read how I went from 128kg to 86kg without cutting rice →

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