SINGAPORE: The Central Intelligence Agency, yes, THAT CIA, the foreign intelligence service of the government of the United States of America, posted recently about Nasi Lemak.
Yes, you read that correctly. The CIA has a Facebook account where you can find content about the agency and interesting facts from the CIA World Facebook, including an April 19 entry about Nasi Lemak.
“Nasi lemak is considered the national dish of Malaysia and is a popular Malay breakfast food. Its name in Malay literally means ‘fat rice’ because its preparation makes it rich and creamy.
It consists of fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk with pandan leaves, lemon grass, ginger, and other spices.
Nasi lemak is usually served with a hard-boiled egg, fried anchovies, sambal paste, and roasted peanuts,” the caption, taken from the Factbook, reads.
Apparently, #FactbookFriday is a thing. Who knew? What’s even more interesting is that the post has gone viral, garnering over a thousand comments and shares.
It appears that Malaysians were particularly delighted with the post. Even the official account of the Department of Agriculture, Jabatan Pertanian Malaysia, commented, “Thank you for sharing.”
And when negative comments were posted in response, the department shot back with, “At least they share the Malaysian people’s favourite food in the eyes of the world.”
“’Actually, Nasi Lemak is originate from…’ comment incoming,” one netizen joked, referring to common disputes about the origins of regional dishes and treats.
True enough, one netizen wrote, “This Nasi Lemak from Indonesia… remember that.”
However, one cheeky—and possibly experienced— commenter wrote that the dish would be “Dangerous food if ur on a mission” because “Nasi lemak can make u sleepy and miss your target.”
She recommended instead that agents on a mission “Eat hup seng crackers with kopi o if u want to stay awake,” adding, “See, we Malaysian very nice people we teach u what to do.”
Another offered a gentle correction to the post, writing that Nasi Lemak can be an all-day experience: “A breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper meal actually. All day dining.”
One chimed in with a warning about the sambal, however, not just for its spiciness but also for the unwanted effects of its consumption. “Just be careful with the sambal, as it has the potential of bringing down your whole operation.”
“True. It will make you visit toilet regularly,” another answered.
At least one Malaysian wrote that the post gave her good vibes. “I love this post, as Malaysian, I feel proud. Thank you very much.” /TISG
Read also: Where is the best Nasi Lemak in Singapore? The people give their must-try stalls