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Serundeng

Serundeng: Indo-Dutch toasted coconut with peanuts and spices

Serundeng is the crunchy, sweet-savoury sprinkle that comes in a little tub with every Indonesian takeaway in the Netherlands: grated coconut slowly toasted with a spice paste of shallot, garlic, coriander and cumin, palm sugar and tamarind until golden and dry, then mixed with fried peanuts. It is scattered over rice. Most versions use shrimp paste; this one is vegan. A common mistake is toasting over high heat, which burns the coconut in seconds. Chef's tip: keep stirring over a low heat for the full 20 minutes; the coconut turns golden slowly and evenly and stays crunchy for weeks.
Total time
35 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
10
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Ingredients

Serves10

For the serundeng

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What you'll need

Fresh ingredients (4)

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Method

0/4 done
  1. Step 1: Blend 3 shallots and 2 cloves garlic to a paste. Fry in 2 tbsp sunflower oil for 3 minutes.

    3 min
  2. Step 2: Add 7 oz desiccated coconut, 2 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp ground cumin, 2 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar, 1 tbsp tamarind paste, 1 tsp salt and 2 kaffir lime leaves and stir well.

  3. Step 3: Toast over a low heat for 18–20 minutes, stirring constantly, until golden and dry. Common mistake: a high heat; it burns fast.

    20 min
  4. Step 4: Stir in 3 ½ oz roasted peanuts, cool and store in a jar for up to a month.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
150 kcal
Protein
3 g
Carbs
8 g
Fat
12 g
Fibre
3 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does serundeng take?
About 35 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegan?
Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
What can I use instead of shallots?
Half an onion per 2 shallots.
What can I use instead of garlic?
½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.

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