Recipes › Sayur Lodeh

Sayur Lodeh

By Rani Nurani · Published 2 November 2026

Sayur lodeh is a coconut-milk vegetable pot that should taste savoury and gently sweet, not like a heavy curry. The paste is mild; the vegetables stay distinct; the broth is spoonable over rice.

Ingredients

• 5 shallots, 3 garlic cloves, 2 candlenuts, 2 cm galangal, 2 red chillies
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 500 ml thin coconut milk + 200 ml thick coconut milk
• 100 g long beans, cut
• 1 small eggplant, chunked
• 100 g cabbage, roughly cut
• 1 corn cob, cut into rounds (optional)
• 150 g fried tofu, 100 g tempeh, sliced
• 2 daun salam, 1 lemongrass stalk bruised
• 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon palm sugar
• 1 tablespoon melinjo crackers (emping) optional to serve

Method

1. Blend shallots, garlic, candlenuts, galangal and chillies into a paste. Fry in oil 5–6 minutes.
2. Pour in thin coconut milk, daun salam and lemongrass. Bring to a gentle simmer.
3. Add firmer vegetables (beans, corn, eggplant) and tempeh. Cook 10 minutes.
4. Add cabbage and tofu. Stir in thick coconut milk, salt and palm sugar. Simmer 8–10 minutes more without boiling hard.
5. Taste. Serve with rice and emping if you have them.

Notes and tips

• Add thick coconut milk late so it stays creamy.
• Lodeh is flexible — use what is in the fridge, but keep at least one soft and one crunchy vegetable.
• A spoon of leftover sambal on the side wakes the bowl up.

Cooked it? Tell us how it went on the contact page — corrections and regional variations are always welcome.

Common mistakes

• Boiling after thick milk goes in Sauce splits and looks oily.
• All soft vegetables Texture turns to mush. Keep long beans or cabbage for bite.
• Over-salting early Liquid reduces; season near the end.

Frequently asked questions