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189 recipes

Tempe goreng (Javanese crisp fried tempeh)

Tempe goreng is the everyday protein of Central and East Java, fried fresh in homes and warungs morning and evening and eaten with rice, sambal and a vegetable such as urap or sayur asem. The tempeh is soaked briefly in a salty garlic and coriander-seed brine, then fried until the outside is crunchy and the inside nutty and firm. The mistake people make is slicing it too thick, which leaves a bitter, raw-tasting centre; keep slices about 5 mm thick. If you soak it for longer than 15 minutes, do it in the fridge. Chef's tip: fry in oil that comes halfway up the slices and turn them only once, so the crust stays whole.

20 min

Indonesian Snacks & Starters

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BakpiaMung bean pastries

Nobody leaves Yogyakarta without a cardboard box of bakpia; the Pathuk neighbourhood, a short walk from Malioboro, is lined with family bakeries turning them out for visitors as oleh-oleh, the snacks Indonesians bring home from a trip. These are small, round and slightly puffed, with a thin, flaky skin that goes golden in spots and a smooth, lightly salted sweet mung bean centre. They came to Java with Chinese bakers (the name comes from Hokkien bak pia) and are eaten with sweet hot tea or a glass of kopi. Using too much filling is the usual problem; the skin should wrap it with no stretching. Chef's tip: cook the mung beans with a knotted pandan leaf for the classic fragrance, and keep the pastry balls under a damp cloth so the skins stay supple while you work.

110 min

Indonesian Baking

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Spiku (lapis Surabaya)Three-layer butter sponge with jam

Visitors leaving Surabaya are expected to carry home a box of spiku as oleh-oleh, the gift from your travels, and it also turns up for Lebaran and Chinese New Year. The name comes from the Dutch spekkoek, but this is a different cake: three thick layers of rich, yolk-heavy butter sponge, two plain and one chocolate, stuck together with apricot or strawberry jam. The crumb is soft, tight and buttery, best in thin slices with tea. Folding the melted butter in roughly or too fast lets it sink and bake into a greasy band at the bottom, so add it in a thin stream and fold just until it vanishes. Chef's tip: bake the three layers at the same time in three identical tins; weigh the batter into them so the layers come out even.

85 min

Indonesian Baking

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Urap (Javanese vegetables with spiced coconut)

Urap is a Javanese and Balinese side dish served at everyday meals and at slametan gatherings, and it is just as common heaped next to rice and tempeh on a weeknight. Freshly blanched long beans, spinach, cabbage and bean sprouts are tossed with grated coconut that has been steamed with shallot, garlic, chilli and lime leaf, so the vegetables taste bright and the coconut sweet, warm and fragrant. Many cooks add terasi (shrimp paste) to the coconut; this version leaves it out so it stays vegan. The common mistake is mixing the coconut into the vegetables hours ahead, when it turns sour and soggy; toss just before eating. Chef's tip: plunge the vegetables into cold water straight after blanching and squeeze the greens dry, or the dressing will be watery.

25 min

Indonesian Salads

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Tumis jamur (Indonesian stir-fried oyster mushrooms)

Tumis jamur tiram is a favourite in Javanese homes and cheap warung kitchens across Indonesia, where grey oyster mushrooms are grown locally and sold by the bag every morning. Cooked fast in a hot wok, the mushrooms turn meaty and juicy, picking up garlic, shallot, a little chilli and the sweetness of kecap manis and tomato. It is eaten with rice as part of an everyday dinner, often next to tempeh or tofu. The usual mistake is crowding the pan, which makes the mushrooms release water and stew instead of browning. Chef's tip: tear the mushrooms by hand along their natural lines rather than slicing them; the ragged edges catch the sauce.

15 min

Indonesian Vegetarian

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Kue bangkitTapioca coconut flower cookies

Jars of kue bangkit sit on coffee tables across Riau and the Sumatran coast at Lebaran, and Chinese-Indonesian families bake the same little white flowers for Lunar New Year. They are made from tapioca starch slowly roasted with pandan leaves, then bound with sugar, egg yolk and thick coconut milk and pressed into tiny flower shapes. When they are right they feel crisp and light in the hand and then dissolve instantly on the tongue, leaving the taste of coconut and pandan. The step people rush is roasting the starch; it must be dry-fried until feather-light, or the cookies bake hard and chalky. Chef's tip: keep the dough covered with a cloth while you work, because tapioca dough dries in minutes and then crumbles in the mould.

106 min

Indonesian Baking

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Ayam kecap (sweet soy chicken)

Ayam kecap is everyday Indonesian home cooking, made from Jakarta to Surabaya for family dinners and lunchboxes: bite-size chicken pieces browned, then simmered in kecap manis, the thick palm-sugar soy sauce, with garlic, shallot, ginger and tomato until glossy and sticky. The mistake is adding the kecap manis too early on a high heat; its sugar burns before the chicken is cooked, so add it once the chicken is browned and turn the heat down. Chef's tip: use boneless thighs, which stay juicy and cook in the time the rice takes.

30 min

Indonesian Chicken

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Orak-arik telur (Indonesian scrambled eggs with vegetables)

Orak-arik means roughly 'scrambled up', and this Javanese home dish is what students in Yogyakarta and families everywhere in Java make when the fridge is nearly empty: a cheap, filling plate of cabbage, carrot and egg to eat with rice at dinner or pack into a lunchbox. The vegetables stay sweet and slightly crunchy while the egg sets into soft, savoury curds around them. The common mistake is adding the eggs while the vegetables are still wet and watery, which gives a pale, soggy mess; cook the vegetables until the pan is dry first. Chef's tip: let the egg set for 20 seconds before you start stirring, so you get large curds rather than crumbs.

15 min

Indonesian Vegetarian

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KlappertaartBaked young coconut custard

Manado, at the northern tip of Sulawesi, inherited klappertaart from its Dutch colonial kitchens (klapper is old Dutch for coconut), and it is still the dessert North Sulawesi families bring to birthdays, Christmas and church gatherings. Soft strips of young coconut flesh are folded through a creamy, cinnamon-scented milk custard with raisins, then baked under a sprinkle of almonds until barely set and bronzed on top. It is eaten warm or cold, spooned straight from the dish. Many recipes soak the raisins in rum or add a splash to the custard; this one is alcohol-free, with the rum as an option. Overbaking it until firm is the mistake to avoid; it should be soft and spoonable. Chef's tip: use the jelly-soft flesh of young coconuts (or frozen young coconut strips); grated mature coconut makes the custard dry and chewy.

75 min

Indonesian Baking

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Tumis kacang panjang (Indonesian stir-fried long beans)

In Javanese homes and warungs, tumis kacang panjang is one of the quickest vegetable dishes on the table, cooked in minutes at dinner time and eaten with rice, fried tempeh and sambal. The beans keep a little bite, the tomato breaks down into a light, savoury gloss, and the chilli gives gentle heat. Plenty of cooks stir in a little terasi (shrimp paste); here it is left out to keep the dish vegan, with a pinch of sugar for balance. The common mistake is adding a lot of water and covering the pan, which boils the beans grey; a splash and a hot pan are enough. Chef's tip: cut the beans on a slant so more surface touches the pan and they cook faster.

15 min

Indonesian Sides

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Roti buayaCrocodile-shaped bread

Crocodiles, to the Betawi people of Jakarta, stand for faithfulness: they are said to take one mate for life. So in a Betawi wedding procession the groom's family carries a pair of roti buaya, a large male crocodile bread and a female one, often with a baby crocodile on her back, alongside the other gifts for the bride. Once the ceremony is over the bread is cut and shared among the guests and neighbours. Old-style roti buaya was plain and firm; today's are soft, lightly sweet milk bread, and some are filled with chocolate or kaya. Eat slices with coffee or sweet tea. Snipping the scales too shallowly is a common slip, since they close up as the dough rises; cut decisively at a steep angle. Chef's tip: shape the crocodile straight on the lined tray and build it from one main log, adding only the legs, so it does not crack apart in the oven.

180 min

Indonesian Breads & Parathas

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Bubur ayam for little onesChicken rice porridge for babies

Bubur ayam is breakfast from street carts all over West Java and the rest of Indonesia: soft rice porridge topped with shredded chicken, fried shallots, crackers and sweet soy. At home, families cook one plain pot fragrant with ginger and salam leaf, take out the baby's bowl first, unsalted, with the chicken finely shredded, and add the toppings for everyone else. The baby's portion has none of the common allergens (milk, egg, gluten, peanut, tree nuts, soya, sesame, fish); the family toppings add soya and gluten. Chef's tip: cooking the rice in the chicken poaching liquid gives the baby's bowl plenty of flavour without salt.

60 min

Indonesian Rice & Grains

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Nasi tim ayam for toddlersSteamed chicken and mushroom rice

Nasi tim ayam comes from the Chinese-Indonesian kitchens of Java, and is the meal many Indonesian children eat when they first move on from porridge: rice steamed slowly in a bowl over diced chicken and mushrooms until very soft, then turned out like a little dome. For toddlers the seasoning is just garlic, ginger, a few drops of sesame oil and a little low-salt soy sauce. It contains soya and gluten (soy sauce) and sesame. Chef's tip: use no-salt stock in the rice; it soaks up the flavour of the chicken as it steams.

60 min

Indonesian Chicken

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Nasi tumpengTurmeric coconut rice cone

In Java, and now across Indonesia, a birthday, a new house or a child's first school day is marked with a tumpeng: a tall cone of golden turmeric rice cooked in coconut milk, set on a banana leaf and surrounded by side dishes. The top is cut off and handed to the guest of honour, often the birthday child, before everyone shares the rest. This home version keeps the sides mild for children: sweet soy chicken, boiled eggs, crisp tempeh and blanched vegetables. It contains soya and egg. For a vegetarian tumpeng, leave out the chicken and double the tempeh. Chef's tip: pack the rice into a cone made from a rolled sheet of baking paper or a large funnel lined with cling film, then turn it out in one go.

100 min

Indonesian Rice & Grains

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Telur gulung (Indonesian rolled egg skewers)

Telur gulung is a cheap, cheerful street snack sold from little carts outside primary schools across Java, where children watch the vendor pour beaten egg into hot oil and roll it onto a stick in seconds. The result is a puffy, golden, slightly crisp egg spiral, usually eaten with a squirt of chilli or tomato sauce. At home it is easy to make in a small pan with a little more care. It contains egg. Chef's tip: the oil must be hot enough that a drop of egg puffs up instantly; in cool oil the egg sinks and turns greasy.

15 min

Indonesian Snacks & Starters

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Bubur saring (sieved rice and vegetable porridge)

Indonesian parents call a baby's first solids MPASI, and the first stage is bubur saring: rice porridge cooked with vegetables and pressed through a sieve until velvety. Across Java it is often made each morning in a small pot and given at lunchtime, with a daun salam (Indonesian bay leaf) for a gentle scent. Carrot gives it colour and sweetness, spinach a soft green flavour. There are no common allergens in it (milk, egg, gluten, peanut, tree nuts, soya, sesame, fish). Chef's tip: add the spinach only in the last few minutes, so it stays green and doesn't turn the porridge grey.

50 min

Indonesian Rice & Grains

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Cilok (Sundanese tapioca balls with peanut sauce)

Cilok comes from Bandung in West Java, where its name is short for 'aci dicolok', tapioca you stab with a stick, and vendors sell it outside schools from steaming carts. The little balls are chewy and bouncy with garlic and spring onion through them, dunked in a thick peanut sauce that is sweet, savoury and only gently spicy for children. It contains peanuts, soya and gluten (sweet soy sauce). Chef's tip: pour boiling water onto part of the starch first; that scalded paste is what keeps cilok soft and stretchy instead of hard.

40 min

Indonesian Snacks & Starters

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Roti bakar (Indonesian toasted bread)

Roti bakar stalls light up street corners all over Indonesia from late afternoon, and children from Jakarta to Surabaya beg for the classic filling of chocolate sprinkles with grated cheese, an unlikely pairing that works. Thick slices of soft bread are spread with butter, toasted on a hot plate until crisp and golden, filled and cut into fingers. Traditional versions add a lot of condensed milk; here it is an optional drizzle. It contains gluten and milk (and may contain soya in the chocolate). Chef's tip: press the bread flat with a spatula as it toasts so the filling melts into it.

13 min

Indonesian Snacks & Starters

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Bubur merah putih (red and white porridge)

In Java, bubur merah putih is cooked for a baby's naming day, a child's birthday or a new house: a red-brown porridge sweetened with palm sugar and a white one rich with coconut milk, spooned side by side into one bowl. The red is said to stand for courage and the white for purity, and the bowls are shared with neighbours as thanks. The family and older children eat the sweetened red half; it is not for babies under one because of the sugar. Free of milk, egg, gluten, nuts and soya. Chef's tip: tie a pandan leaf in a knot and simmer it in both pots for a gentle vanilla-like scent.

50 min

Indonesian Desserts

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Bakwan sayurVegetable fritters

Gorengan carts across Java fry bakwan sayur from mid-afternoon, and office workers and students buy them by the paper bag, eating each crisp, lacy fritter with a raw green bird's-eye chilli bitten alongside. Shredded cabbage, carrot, bean sprouts and spring onion are held together with just enough garlicky batter to set into craggy, golden-edged rounds. Serve them hot with sambal kecap or with a bowl of soto. Chef's tip: the classic mistake is too much batter, which makes heavy, doughy fritters; the vegetables should be barely coated, with batter just clinging between the shreds.

30 min

Indonesian Snacks & Starters

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Opor ayamChicken in coconut milk

Ask anyone in Java what they eat on the first morning of Lebaran and the answer is opor ayam with ketupat: chicken simmered slowly in a creamy, ivory coconut sauce perfumed with coriander, lemongrass, galangal and salam leaf, rich but not at all fiery. Families cook a big pot the night before so the flavours deepen, then serve it with sambal goreng ati and crackers. For a vegetarian version, use fried tofu and hard-boiled eggs. Chef's tip: toast the candlenuts and coriander before grinding; raw, they make the sauce taste flat and slightly bitter.

75 min

Indonesian Chicken

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BajigurCoconut palm sugar drink

Bajigur carts in Bogor and Bandung come out in the late afternoon, steaming pots of coconut milk with palm sugar, ginger and pandan served alongside boiled peanuts, cassava and sweet potato. It is creamy and caramel-sweet with a warm ginger finish, a drink to wrap your hands round on a cool highland evening. Some sellers add a spoon of coffee; this version leaves it out. Chef's tip: keep it below a boil once the coconut milk is in; boiling makes it grainy and an oily film forms on top.

20 min

Indonesian Drinks

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Wedang jaheHot ginger drink

When the evening rain comes in over Yogyakarta, angkringan street stalls start ladling out wedang jahe, a fiery hot drink of grilled, bruised ginger and lemongrass simmered with palm sugar. It is sipped slowly from glasses alongside sticky rice snacks and fried tofu, and families make it at home whenever the weather turns cool. Chef's tip: grill or dry-roast the ginger until scorched before bruising it; raw ginger gives a sharper but flatter drink, without the smoky depth.

20 min

Indonesian Drinks

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Lemper ayamSticky rice rolls with chicken

Lemper turns up in every Javanese snack box, from office meetings to selamatan prayers: a log of savoury coconut sticky rice wrapped round chicken shredded and cooked down with coriander, lemongrass and coconut milk, then rolled tight in banana leaf. Some are grilled afterwards for a smoky leaf flavour. They make a filling mid-morning snack and travel well. Chef's tip: cook the chicken filling until it is quite dry; a saucy filling soaks into the rice and the rolls fall apart when unwrapped.

90 min

Indonesian Snacks & Starters

by KrazyBadal 0 views

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