Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Indonesian Lontong Sayur Coconut Vegetable Stew
印尼椰香雜菜米糕湯
Recipe overview
Ready-cooked lontong rice cakes meet chayote, green beans and tofu in coconut broth. Fry the spice paste first and add coconut milk later; making rice cakes from raw rice is not included.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 600 g Ready-cooked refrigerated lontong rice cakes
- 250 g Firm tofu
- 300 g Chayote
- 150 g Green beans
- 100 g Carrot
- 60 g Shallots
- 20 g Garlic
- 10 g Red chili
- 20 g Lemongrass
- 15 g Galangal
Curry seasoning
- 400 ml Coconut milk
- 600 ml Water
- 2 g Ground turmeric
- 3 g Ground coriander
- 4 g Salt
- 5 g Sugar
Cooking oil
- 15 ml Cooking oil
02
Tools
- Deep pot and ladle
- Small blender
- Steamer and heatproof plate
- Knife, board and food thermometer
03
Steps
Step 1
Check cooked rice cakes
Use rice cakes kept refrigerated within their use-by date. Unwrap and cut 1.5 cm thick; discard if spoiled.
Step 2
Cut firm vegetables
Peel and core chayote, then cut thin batons. Peel carrot and cut similar batons for even cooking.
Step 3
Cut beans and tofu
Trim beans and cut 4 cm lengths. Drain tofu and cut 2 cm cubes, handling gently.
Step 4
Make spice paste
Blend shallots, garlic and chili with 30 ml of the measured water. Bruise and knot lemongrass; slice galangal.
Step 5
Fry spice paste
Heat oil over medium heat, fry paste 3 minutes, then add turmeric and coriander for 30 seconds.
Step 6
Add water and aromatics
Add the remaining 570 ml water, lemongrass and galangal; bring to a boil and reduce to medium-low.
Step 7
Simmer chayote and carrot
Add chayote and carrot and simmer gently for 10 minutes until the batons begin to soften.
Step 8
Add beans and tofu
Add beans and tofu, gently push into the broth and simmer 5 minutes without breaking tofu.
Step 9
Reheat rice cakes alongside
While vegetables simmer, steam rice-cake slices on a heatproof plate over boiling water 8–10 minutes to 75°C at the centre.
Step 10
Add coconut milk
Reduce to low, stir in coconut milk, salt and sugar, and simmer gently 3 minutes without a rolling boil.
Step 11
Check vegetables
Beans should be fully cooked without a raw crunch, roots tender and tofu hot throughout. Simmer longer if needed and taste.
Step 12
Assemble bowls
Remove lemongrass and galangal, divide hot rice cakes among four bowls and ladle over tofu, vegetables and coconut broth.
Common mistakes
- Starting rice cakes from raw rice cannot fit this schedule.
- Hot broth alone may leave refrigerated rice cakes cold inside.
- A hard boil separates coconut fat and roughens the broth.
- Rough stirring breaks tofu into crumbs.
Tips
Buy ready-cooked lontong and follow its refrigeration and opened-pack instructions; the 20-minute preparation excludes cooking and cooling rice cakes. Reheat cakes while vegetables cook, checking their centres before serving. Add coconut milk late and keep a gentle simmer for a smooth broth.
