Introduction
Sayur Lodeh is a comforting Indonesian vegetable stew made with a fragrant coconut milk broth and an aromatic spice paste. Popular across Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, it is traditionally served with Lontong (compressed rice cakes wrapped in banana leaves), boiled eggs, sambal, and roasted coconut for a hearty and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
For the Spice Paste
- 15 g dried red chillies, soaked in warm water
- 3–4 fresh chillies
- 2–3 candlenuts
- 1 stalk lemongrass, chopped
- ½ piece galangal
- Turmeric
- 8–10 shallots, peeled and chopped
- 1 small onion
- ½ inch ginger
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 2 tbsp dried shrimp, soaked
- 1 tsp shrimp paste (belachan)
- 30 ml oil
For the Stew
- 500 ml coconut milk
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp chicken powder
- Salt to taste
- Sugar to taste
- 2 cups cabbage, cut into large pieces
- 100 g long beans, cut into long segments
- Carrots, sliced
- 150 g tempeh, sliced and fried until golden
- 350 g tofu, cut into triangles and fried
- Lontong (rice cakes)
- Boiled eggs
- Oil
- Roasted grated coconut, for garnish
- Fresh red chillies, for garnish
- Sambal, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Grind all the spice paste ingredients into a smooth paste.
- Heat oil in a large pan or wok.
- Add the prepared spice paste and sauté for a few minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in the coconut milk and water.
- Simmer gently for a few minutes.
- Add the cabbage, long beans, carrots, chicken powder, salt, and sugar.
- Cover and simmer for 5–8 minutes, or until the vegetables are just tender.
- Add the fried tofu and fried tempeh.
- Simmer for another 2–3 minutes so they absorb the flavorful coconut broth.
- Your Sayur Lodeh soup base is ready.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve hot with slices of Lontong (rice cakes).
- Add a boiled egg on the side.
- Garnish with roasted grated coconut and fresh red chillies.
- Serve with sambal for an authentic Indonesian experience.
Spice Level: 🌶🌶
