Resepi Lontong Kuah Lodeh dan Sambal Bilis Garing

Ingredients

• 1 Large Onion (roughly chopped for the base blend)
• 1 inch Ginger (peeled and roughly chopped)
• 3 cloves Garlic (peeled)
• 2 inch Fresh Turmeric (peeled; if unavailable use 1 tbsp turmeric powder)
• 5 pieces Dried Shrimp (washed and soaked in hot water to soften)
• 4 Candlenuts (adds richness to the gravy)
• 1 inch Galangal (peeled and lightly bruised with a pestle)
• 1 stalk Lemongrass (bruised, not smashed)
• 2 Carrot (peeled and sliced diagonally, not too thin)
• 200 g Jicama (Sengkuang) (peeled and cut into strips)
• 200 g White Radish (Daikon) (peeled and sliced)
• 100 g Long Beans (cut into 1.5‑inch lengths)
• 4 sheets Dried Tofu Skin (Fucuk) (broken into rough pieces, soaked 15‑30 min then rinsed)
• 100 g Glass Noodles (Suhun) (soaked in room‑temperature water 15‑30 min, then rinsed)
• 200 g Tempeh (cut into 2 cm cubes, tossed with turmeric powder before frying)
• 200 g Firm Tofu (cut into 2 cm cubes, tossed with turmeric powder before frying)
• 1 tsp Turmeric Powder (used to coat tempeh and tofu before frying)
• 2 small cans Coconut Milk (boxed) (approx. 400 ml total; convenient alternative to fresh coconut milk)
• 200 g Shrimp (optional) (peeled, heads kept for extra flavor; can be omitted or replaced with chicken)
• to taste Salt
• 0.5 tablespoon Tamarind Juice (just a hint to balance flavors)
• 0.5 tablespoon Seasoning Powder (e.g., chicken stock powder)
• 1.5 bulbs Large Onion (for sambal) (one bulb blended, half diced for sauté)
• 2 cloves Garlic (for sambal)
• 1 inch Shrimp Paste (Belacan) (adjust to taste; can reduce for milder flavor)
• 400 g Dried Anchovies (washed, drained, and fried until crispy)
• 15 Dried Red Chilies (boiled until soft, seeds removed)
• 1 piece Palm Sugar (Gula Nisan) (adds sweet depth; can substitute with brown sugar)
• 1 Anchovy Stock Cube (optional, enhances umami)
• 2 Boiled Eggs (halved for garnish)
• as needed Cooking Oil (for sautéing and frying; neutral oil preferred)

Instructions

1. Blend Base Aromatics

   Roughly chop the large onion, ginger, garlic, fresh turmeric, soaked dried shrimp, and candlenuts. Add a splash of water and blend until completely smooth.

   Time: PT15M

2. Prepare Vegetables & Soak Extras

   Peel and slice carrots diagonally, cut jicama into strips, slice white radish, trim long beans into 1.5‑inch pieces. Break dried tofu skin into rough pieces and soak in water for 15‑30 minutes. Soak glass noodles in room‑temperature water for the same time, then rinse.

   Time: PT20M

3. Fry Tempeh and Tofu

   Toss cubed tempeh and tofu with 1 tsp turmeric powder, then fry in a little oil over medium heat until the exterior is crisp but the interior remains soft.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: Medium

4. Sauté Aromatic Paste

   Heat a small amount of oil in the wok. Add the blended paste and sauté, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the color turns a light brown.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: Medium

5. Add Bruised Lemongrass & Galangal

   Stir in the bruised lemongrass stalk and the bruised galangal piece; sauté briefly (about 1 minute).

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: Medium

6. Simmer Hard Vegetables

   Add the carrots, jicama, and white radish to the wok. Pour in 4‑6 cups of water, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to medium‑low and simmer until the vegetables are just tender.

   Time: PT20M

   Temperature: Medium‑Low

7. Finish the Kuah Lodeh

   Stir in the soaked tofu skin, glass noodles, fried tempeh and tofu, long beans, and shrimp (if using). Add the boxed coconut milk, season with salt, ½ tbsp tamarind juice, and ½ tbsp seasoning powder. Cook over medium‑low, stirring frequently to keep the coconut milk from splitting. Adjust thickness with extra water or coconut milk if needed. Add extra turmeric powder for a brighter yellow if desired. When shrimp are cooked through, turn off the heat.

   Time: PT20M

   Temperature: Medium‑Low

8. Blend Sambal Ingredients

   Roughly chop 1½ bulbs of onion (reserve half for sauté), garlic, shrimp paste, and boiled, deseeded dried chilies. Blend together until smooth.

   Time: PT10M

9. Fry Anchovies Until Crispy

   Heat oil in a clean wok, add the washed anchovies and fry until all moisture evaporates and the anchovies turn golden‑brown and crunchy.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: Medium‑High

10. Sauté Diced Onion

    In the same wok, sauté the diced half‑onion until just softened; do not let it brown.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: Medium

11. Cook Sambal Paste

    Add the blended chili‑garlic‑shrimp‑paste mixture to the wok. Stir continuously until the oil separates from the paste and the color deepens but does not become overly dark.

    Time: PT20M

    Temperature: Medium

12. Season Sambal

    Stir in the palm sugar, anchovy stock cube, a pinch of salt, and a splash of tamarind juice. Mix until the sugar dissolves and the sambal turns a rich dark‑red.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: Medium

13. Add Crispy Anchovies

    Quickly fold the previously fried crispy anchovies into the sambal, stir for a few seconds, then remove from heat.

    Time: PT2M

14. Plate and Serve

    Slice the compressed rice cakes (nasi impit) and arrange on a serving plate. Ladle generous portions of kuah lodeh over the rice cakes, add a boiled egg half, and place a spoonful of crispy anchovy sambal on the side.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

12 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

20 g

Fiber

5 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Ginger: ground ginger (1 tsp)
• Instead of Garlic: garlic powder (1 tsp)
• Instead of Fresh Turmeric: turmeric powder
• Instead of Dried Shrimp: ground dried shrimp (1 tsp)
• Instead of Candlenuts: macadamia nuts (same amount)
• Instead of Galangal: ginger (extra)
• Instead of Lemongrass: lemongrass paste (1 tsp)
• Instead of Carrot: sweet potato
• Instead of Jicama (Sengkuang): daikon radish
• Instead of White Radish (Daikon): turnip
• Instead of Long Beans: green beans
• Instead of Dried Tofu Skin (Fucuk): extra‑firm tofu strips
• Instead of Glass Noodles (Suhun): rice vermicelli
• Instead of Tempeh: extra‑firm tofu
• Instead of Firm Tofu: silken tofu (but texture changes)
• Instead of Coconut Milk (boxed): fresh coconut milk
• Instead of Shrimp (optional): chicken breast (200 g)
• Instead of Salt: soy sauce (for extra umami)
• Instead of Tamarind Juice: lime juice (1 tsp)
• Instead of Seasoning Powder: bouillon cube (1)
• Instead of Shrimp Paste (Belacan): fermented fish sauce (1 tsp)
• Instead of Dried Anchovies: dried shrimp
• Instead of Dried Red Chilies: fresh red chilies (30)
• Instead of Palm Sugar (Gula Nisan): brown sugar (1 tsp)
• Instead of Anchovy Stock Cube: fish sauce (1 tsp)
• Instead of Cooking Oil: coconut oil

Equipment Needed

• Blender
• Wok or Large Pot
• Frying Pan
• Knife
• Cutting Board
• Spatula or Wooden Spoon
• Colander
• Measuring Spoons
• Bowl
• Plate for Nasi Impit (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Blending the base aromatics until completely smooth.
• Soaking dried tofu skin and glass noodles before adding to the stew.
• Frying tempeh and tofu until a crisp exterior forms.
• Sautéing the blended paste until fragrant and lightly browned.
• Stirring frequently during the coconut milk stage to prevent splitting.
• Frying anchovies until fully crispy and moisture‑free.
• Cooking the sambal paste until the oil separates.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Bruising lemongrass and galangal releases essential oils without turning the pieces mushy.
• Adding a tiny amount of turmeric powder at the end brightens the gravy without altering flavor.
• Crispy fried tempeh/tofu act as a barrier, keeping the stew from becoming overly oily over time.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the kuah lodeh in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of coconut milk if it looks dry.

Freezer: Freeze the stew (without the rice cakes) in freezer‑safe bags for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours; the coconut base can spoil quickly.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the blended base and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days.
• Soak tofu skin and glass noodles a day ahead; keep them covered with water.
• The kuah lodeh improves in flavor after resting for a few hours; reheat gently before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions