indonesiansoupjackfruitvegantamarindbeginnerweeknight

Sayur Asem

Name: Sayur Asem
Prep time: 18 min
Cook time: 24 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Indonesian
Ingredients: 1 litre water; 25 g tamarind pulp; 12 g palm sugar; 8 g salt; 60 g shallots; 10 g garlic; 1 small (8 g) red chilli; 2 nuts (10 g) candlenuts; 20 g galangal; 5 g shrimp paste (optional); 10 ml neutral oil; 200 g young jackfruit, drained if canned; 1 small cob (180 g) sweet corn; 100 g long beans; 150 g chayote; 120 g eggplant; 80 g tomato; 2 leaves bay leaves; 10 g fried shallots; 2 wedges lime wedges

Sayur Asem is a light yet deeply flavorful vegetable soup with a bright tamarind tang, gentle sweetness, and aromatic spice base. Tender young jackfruit, sweet corn, long beans, chayote, and eggplant give it a satisfying mix of textures in a clean, refreshing broth.

45 min

2 servings

224 kcal

Indonesian

Ingredients

Kuah asam

1 litrewater
25 gtamarind pulp
12 gpalm sugar
8 gsalt

Bumbu halus

60 gshallots
10 ggarlic
1 small (8 g)red chilli
2 nuts (10 g)candlenuts
20 ggalangal
5 gshrimp paste (optional)
10 mlneutral oil

Sayuran

200 gyoung jackfruit, drained if canned
1 small cob (180 g)sweet corn
100 glong beans
150 gchayote
120 geggplant
80 gtomato
2 leavesbay leaves

Penyelesaian

10 gfried shallots
2 wedgeslime wedges

Instructions

1
Prep the vegetables: cut the young jackfruit into bite-size pieces if needed, slice the corn into 3 to 4 thick rounds, cut the long beans into 4 cm lengths, peel and chunk the chayote, cut the eggplant into large pieces, and wedge the tomato. Soak the tamarind pulp in 100 ml of the water and squeeze well, then strain out the fibers and seeds.
2
Make the spice paste. Roughly chop the shallots, garlic, chilli, and galangal. Blend or pound them with the candlenuts, optional shrimp paste, and oil into a coarse paste; a slightly coarse texture is traditional and gives the broth character.
3
Heat a medium pot over medium heat and cook the spice paste for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and slightly glossy. Stir constantly so the shallots sweeten without browning too much.
4
Add the remaining water, the strained tamarind liquid, bay leaves, palm sugar, and salt. Bring to a gentle boil.
5
Add the jackfruit, corn, and chayote. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until the corn is tender and the chayote is just cooked through. The broth should taste lightly sweet, tangy, and savory; adjust with a little more salt or water if needed.
6
Add the long beans, eggplant, and tomato. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes more until the long beans are bright green and crisp-tender and the eggplant is soft but still holding its shape.
7
Turn off the heat and let the soup rest for 3 minutes so the sour and aromatic flavors settle. Remove the bay leaves if you like a cleaner finish.
8
Ladle into bowls and top with fried shallots. Serve hot with lime wedges on the side for extra brightness.

Nutrition per serving

224 kcal

Calories

Protein

37g

Carbs

Fat

10g

Fiber

Notes

•For a fully plant-based version, leave out the shrimp paste; the soup will still be delicious and authentic in many home-style variations.
•If using fresh young jackfruit, parboil it for 10 minutes before adding to the soup if it seems very firm.
•Sayur asem is usually served with steamed rice and fried tofu, tempeh, or grilled fish for a fuller flexitarian meal.
•Do not overcook the long beans and eggplant; this soup is best when the vegetables keep distinct textures.

Background

Sayur asem is a beloved Indonesian sour vegetable soup, especially associated with Betawi and Sundanese home cooking in Java. Its signature tangy broth comes from tamarind, balanced with palm sugar and aromatic spices. The dish is valued for its refreshing taste and the mix of local vegetables that can vary by region and season.

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