Sayur lodeh is the sound of a weekday kitchen. A knife on a wooden board. A pot that does not hurry. Someone opening a window because coconut milk should never boil too loudly.

 

This is not a dish for showing off. It belongs to routine. To lunches eaten late, dinners stretched by conversation, rice scooped again because the sauce asks for it. In many Javanese households, sayur lodeh appears when vegetables need using, when meat is scarce, or when balance is required after richer food.

 

The broth is coconut milk, but it is never heavy. Lemongrass and galangal keep it upright. Garlic and shallot give depth. A little chili, never too much. The vegetables vary by season and by hand. Young jackfruit when available, cabbage when not. Long beans almost always. Tempeh often, because it belongs here.

 

Everything cooks gently together. No sharp edges. No dominating flavor. Sayur lodeh teaches patience. Coconut milk separates if pushed. Vegetables lose their dignity if rushed. This dish rewards calm attention.

 

At the table, sayur lodeh rarely stands alone. There is rice, always. Sambal for those who want heat. Emping or kroepoek for contrast. Sometimes ikan asin, sometimes fried tofu. The stew connects everything without insisting.

 

It is comfort food, but not nostalgic food. It is present. Practical. Still alive in daily cooking because it works.

 

 

Sayur Lodeh – Authentic Javanese Family Recipe

 

Ingredients (serves 4)

 

• 400 ml coconut milk

  1⅔ cups

• 400 ml water

  1⅔ cups

 

Vegetables

 

• 150 g long beans, cut into 4 cm pieces

  5 oz

• 150 g cabbage, roughly chopped

  5 oz

• 150 g tempeh, cubed and lightly fried

  5 oz

• 100 g carrot or chayote, sliced

  3.5 oz

 

Spice paste

 

• 5 shallots

• 3 cloves garlic

• 2 candlenuts

• 1 small red chili

• 1 tsp ground coriander

• ½ tsp shrimp paste (optional but traditional)

 

Aromatics

 

• 1 stalk lemongrass, bruised

• 3 cm galangal, sliced

• 2 bay leaves

• Salt to taste

• A pinch of sugar

 

 

Method

 

Grind all spice paste ingredients into a smooth paste. Heat a little oil in a pot and gently fry the paste until fragrant. Add lemongrass, galangal, and bay leaves. Stir briefly.

 

Add water and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the harder vegetables first, carrot or chayote and long beans. Cook for 5 minutes.

 

Pour in the coconut milk and stir carefully. Add cabbage and tempeh. Simmer gently for another 10–15 minutes. Do not let the stew boil hard.

 

Season with salt and a small pinch of sugar. Taste for balance. The broth should be savory, softly sweet, and rounded.

 

Serve hot with steamed rice.

 

 

Cultural note

 

Sayur lodeh is often eaten the day it is made, but many cooks insist it tastes even better after resting. Like many coconut dishes, it deepens when allowed to sit quietly.

 

To serve with

 

• Steamed rice

• Sambal

• Emping or kroepoek

• Optional ikan asin or fried tofu

 

Selamat Makan