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Sayur Lodeh (Javanese Coconut Vegetable Stew)

Name: Sayur Lodeh (Javanese Coconut Vegetable Stew)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Indonesian (Javanese)
Ingredients: 500 g vegetables mixed vegetables (chayote, long beans, eggplant, baby corn); 50 g shallots (≈ 5 cloves); 15 g garlic (≈ 3 cloves); 25 g red curly chilies (≈ 4 pieces); 8 g candlenuts (≈ 2 pieces, dry-roasted); 2 g ground coriander (≈ 1 tsp); 1 g ground turmeric (≈ ½ tsp); 3 leaves salam leaves (Indonesian bay); 2 cm galangal (bruised); 1 stalk lemongrass (bruised); 200 g white tofu (diced, par-fried); 200 g tempeh (diced, par-fried); 800 ml thin coconut milk; 200 ml thick coconut milk; 8 g salt (≈ 1½ tsp); 10 g granulated sugar (≈ 1 tbsp)

Javanese coconut-milk vegetable stew with mixed vegetables, tofu, and tempeh. A homestyle comfort dish, base recipe from NCC and Sajian Sedap.

Servings

Total Time

30-40 minutes

Want to scale this recipe?

Use the Indonesian Spice Calculator — enter the amount of meat/chicken/chili you need and all spices auto-scale proportionally.

Ingredients

Main Ingredient

▸500 g vegetables mixed vegetables (chayote, long beans, eggplant, baby corn)

Spice Paste

▸50 g shallots (≈ 5 cloves)
▸15 g garlic (≈ 3 cloves)
▸25 g red curly chilies (≈ 4 pieces)
▸8 g candlenuts (≈ 2 pieces, dry-roasted)
▸2 g ground coriander (≈ 1 tsp)
▸1 g ground turmeric (≈ ½ tsp)

Whole Spices & Aromatics

▸3 leaves salam leaves (Indonesian bay)
▸2 cm galangal (bruised)
▸1 stalk lemongrass (bruised)
▸200 g white tofu (diced, par-fried)
▸200 g tempeh (diced, par-fried)

Liquids

▸800 ml thin coconut milk
▸200 ml thick coconut milk

Seasoning & Garnishes

▸8 g salt (≈ 1½ tsp)
▸10 g granulated sugar (≈ 1 tbsp)

Instructions

1
Cube tofu and tempeh. Par-fry in hot oil until golden but not dry. Drain.
2
Cut vegetables: chayote into cubes, long beans into 3 cm pieces, eggplant into cubes, baby corn diagonally.
3
Blend the spice paste (shallots, garlic, chilies, candlenuts, coriander, turmeric).
4
Sauté the paste with salam leaves, galangal, and lemongrass until fragrant (5-7 minutes).
5
Pour thin coconut milk into the spiced base. Cook over medium heat, stirring gently to prevent the coconut milk from splitting.
6
Once boiling, add the harder vegetables (chayote, baby corn) first. Cook 5 minutes.
7
Add the softer vegetables (long beans, eggplant) along with the par-fried tofu and tempeh. Cook 5 more minutes.
8
Add thick coconut milk, salt, and sugar. Stir gently, bring to a brief simmer (don't boil hard or the coconut milk will split).
9
Taste and adjust salt. Serve hot with steamed white rice, sambal terasi, and prawn crackers.

Cooking Tips

●Par-fry tofu & tempeh BEFORE adding to broth — keeps them intact and helps them absorb the soup flavor.
●Add thin coconut milk first, bring to gentle boil, THEN add thick coconut milk while stirring slowly to prevent the cream from splitting.
●Add hard vegetables (chayote, baby corn) first; soft vegetables (eggplant, long beans) at the end.
●Serve with: steamed white rice, sambal terasi, and prawn crackers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to cook Sayur Lodeh (Javanese Coconut Vegetable Stew)?▾

30-40 minutes total (PT20M prep + PT30M cook). For the most authentic result, don't rush — especially the slow reduction stages.

How many servings does this recipe yield?▾

6 servings from 500 g vegetables of main ingredient. For larger gatherings, use the spice scaling calculator — all spices scale proportionally.

Where does this recipe come from? Is it authentic?▾

Base recipe sourced from Sajian Sedap, NCC. All references are publicly available and widely cited among Indonesian home cooks.

Can I substitute ingredients I can't find?▾

Core spices (chilies, shallots, herbs) define the flavor identity and shouldn't be substituted. Garnishes and add-ons can be adjusted. See cooking tips below for guidance.