Name: Sayur Lodeh (Javanese Coconut Vegetable Stew)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indonesian
Ingredients: 1 Chayote, peeled and cut into batons; 1½ cup Water Spinach, roughly chopped; 150 g Tofu, cut into cubes; ¾ cup Green Beans, cut into short pieces; 1 cup Coconut Milk, full-fat or regular; 1 cup Water, for thinning the stew; 4 Shallots, roughly chopped; 3 clove Garlic, roughly chopped; 1 inch Galangal, sliced; 1 Lemongrass, bruised; 2 Makrut Lime Leaves, torn; 2 Indonesian Bay Leaves, daun salam; ¼ tsp Ground Turmeric, for color; ½ tsp Red Chilli Powder, optional, mild heat; 1 tsp Palm Sugar, for balance; 1 tbsp Cooking Oil, for frying spice paste; ¾ tsp Salt, adjust to taste

Sayur Lodeh (Javanese Coconut Vegetable Stew)

50 mintotal

Prep 20 min · Cook 30 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Mild

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Method

Blend the shallots, garlic, turmeric, red chilli powder, and a splash of water into a smooth paste.
Heat the measured cooking oil in a pot. Fry the paste with galangal, lemongrass, makrut lime leaves, and Indonesian bay leaves until fragrant.
Add the chayote and green beans. Stir so the vegetables are coated in the aromatics.
Add the coconut milk, water, palm sugar, and salt. Simmer until the chayote is tender but not mushy.
Add the tofu and simmer gently so it absorbs the coconut broth without breaking.
Fold in the water spinach near the end and cook only until wilted and bright.
Remove the tough aromatics if preferred and serve warm with rice.

How to tell it's done

The stew should be creamy and aromatic, with vegetables tender but still holding their shape.

Getting it right

Tip

Keep the coconut milk at a gentle simmer, not a hard boil, so the stew stays smooth.

What to serve it with

Serve with steamed rice and fried shallots for a simple Indonesian-style meal.

Common mistakes

The coconut broth splits or the vegetables become mushy.: Keep the simmer gentle after adding coconut milk and add tofu and greens only near the end.

Substitutions

Use bottle gourd or zucchini if chayote is unavailable, but the texture will be softer.
Use spinach if water spinach is unavailable; add it at the very end because it wilts faster.
Use tempeh instead of tofu for a firmer, more fermented soy flavor.
If Indonesian bay leaves are unavailable, omit them rather than replacing with strong regular bay leaves.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate sayur lodeh for up to 3 days. Reheat gently without boiling hard; freezing is not recommended because coconut milk and vegetables can split and soften.

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Ingredients