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Sayur Lodeh

Java40 minutes · 5 servings · Easy

Sayur Lodeh — plated and ready to serve
In this recipe
  1. About this recipe
  2. Prep & cook time
  3. Tools you need
  4. Ingredients
  5. Directions
  6. Kitchen tips
  7. Serve with
  8. How to store
  9. Common mistakes

About this recipe

Sayur Lodeh is a gentle Javanese coconut-milk vegetable stew with chayote, long beans, eggplant, and tempeh—everyday comfort beside rice and sambal.

Keep the heat moderate once the coconut milk goes in. A hard boil can split the sauce and make it look grainy.

It is flexible: use what is in season, and keep shrimp paste optional for a lighter family pot.

Prep & cook time

  • Prep15 minutes
  • Cook25 minutes
  • Total40 minutes
  • Servings5 servings
  • LevelEasy

Tools you need

  • Pot
  • Blender or knife
  • Wooden spoon

Ingredients

  • 1 chayote, peeled and cubed
  • 150 g long beans, cut
  • 1 eggplant, cubed
  • 200 g tempeh, cubed
  • 600–700 ml coconut milk
  • 5 shallots
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 red chilies (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon shrimp paste (optional)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cm galangal, smashed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons oil

Directions

  1. Blend or mince shallots, garlic, chilies, and shrimp paste if using. Sauté in oil with bay leaves and galangal until fragrant.
  2. Add tempeh and firmer vegetables; toss 1–2 minutes.
  3. Pour in coconut milk. Season with salt and sugar.
  4. Simmer gently until vegetables are tender and the sauce tastes cohesive, 15–20 minutes.
  5. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  6. Ladle into a serving bowl and serve warm with rice.

Kitchen tips

  • Add eggplant later if you want it less soft.
  • A little sugar rounds the coconut milk without making the dish sweet.
  • Pair with fried fish or chicken for a full plate.
  • Leftover lodeh thickens overnight—loosen with water or coconut milk.

Serve with

  • Warm rice
  • Sambal
  • Fried chicken
  • Tempe goreng

How to store

Keeps 2–3 days refrigerated. Reheat gently without a hard boil.

Common mistakes

  • Boiling coconut milk hard until it splits.
  • Overcooking greens or long beans into dull mush.
  • Forgetting salt so the stew tastes flat.