Sayur Lodeh (Vegetables in Coconut Gravy)

By Howie

Ingredients

• 500-700 g (1-1 1/2lb) vegetables
• 2 tb peanut oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp sambal ulek or 1 fresh red chilli, seeded and chopped
• 1 tsp trasi (dried shrimp paste)
• 1 stalk lemon grass, or 2 strips lemon rind, or 1/2 tsp sereh powder
• 1 large ripe tomato
• 2 cups vegetable, chicken or beef stock
• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
• 3 tsp peanut sauce or peanut butter

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

1) Slice vegetables into small pieces: cauliflower or broccoli should be broken or cut into flowerets; beans sliced very thinly, cabbage shredded coarsely and the shreds cut across once or twice; zucchini or pumpkin can be sliced thinly or diced; winter bamboo shoots are cut into short strips or can be halved and sliced for a half moon shape.

2) Heat oil in a medium saucepan and fry onion until soft and starting to colour, then add garlic, sambal and trasi and fry over low heat for 2 minutes, crushing the trasi with the back of the spoon and stirring the mixture. Add lemon grass or substitute and the tomato which has been peeled, seeded and chopped. Stir and cook to a pulp.

3) Add stock and coconut milk and bring to a simmering point with lid off. Add vegetables according to the time they should take to cook. They should be tender but still crisp. In the selection suggested you would add beans, simmer for 4 minutes, then add the cauliflower and broccoli, simmer for a further 3 minutes, then add the cabbage, zucchini, pumpkin and bamboo shoots and cook for another 3 minutes longer. Stir in the peanut sauce and add salt to taste. A squeeze of lemon juice may be added if a sharper flavour is preffered.