Lontong
This Lontong is a comforting bowl of tender rice cake cubes served in a fragrant, lightly spiced coconut broth with cabbage and tofu. Galangal, turmeric, lemongrass, and dried shrimp give the soup a savory, aromatic depth while keeping it delicate and clean-tasting.
Ingredients
Rice cakes
- 300 gstore-bought rice cake (lontong or compressed rice cake), cut into bite-size cubes
Broth base
- 180 gcabbage, shredded
- 180 gfirm tofu, drained and cut into 2 cm cubes
- 200 mllight coconut milk
- 500 mlwater
- 15 ggalangal, sliced
- 15 gdried shrimp, rinsed
- 10 gfresh turmeric, peeled and sliced
- 2 cloves (10 g)garlic cloves, peeled
- 40 gshallot, peeled and sliced
- 1 stalk (25 g)lemongrass, bruised
- 4 gsalt
- 1 gwhite pepper
For cooking
- 5 mlneutral oil
To serve
- 80 gcucumber, thinly sliced
- 5 gfresh coriander leaves
- 2 wedgeslime wedges
Instructions
- 1
Prepare all ingredients: cut the rice cake into bite-size cubes, shred the cabbage, cube the tofu, slice the galangal and turmeric, slice the shallot, bruise the lemongrass, and rinse the dried shrimp. Keeping everything ready is important because the broth cooks quickly.
- 2
Pound or blend the dried shrimp, turmeric, garlic, and shallot into a rough paste. A coarse paste is fine; it will give the broth more texture and depth.
- 3
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Fry the paste with the galangal and lemongrass for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and no longer smells raw. Stir constantly so the turmeric and shrimp do not catch on the bottom.
- 4
Pour in the water and light coconut milk, then bring to a gentle simmer. Season with salt and white pepper. Keep the heat moderate; a hard boil can cause the coconut milk to split.
- 5
Add the cabbage and tofu, then simmer for 6-8 minutes until the cabbage is tender but still lightly sweet and the tofu is heated through. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning if needed.
- 6
Add the rice cake cubes to the broth and simmer gently for 2-3 minutes, just until warmed through. Avoid overcooking, or the rice cake can soften too much and turn mushy.
- 7
Ladle the broth, vegetables, tofu, and rice cake into bowls. Top with sliced cucumber and fresh coriander, and serve immediately with lime wedges for squeezing over at the table.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •Using store-bought cooked rice cake keeps the dish within the 45-minute limit; making lontong from raw rice would take much longer.
- •Light coconut milk keeps the broth flavorful while fitting a low-fat menu better than full-fat coconut milk.
- •If you want a slightly richer aroma without much added fat, toast the dried shrimp briefly before grinding them.
- •This pairs well with a small spoonful of sambal on the side, though that may increase fat depending on the sambal used.
Background
Lontong is widely eaten across the Malay Archipelago, including Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, with many regional variations. In Malaysia, it is often served as compressed rice cakes with a light coconut-based vegetable gravy, sometimes enriched with tofu and dried seafood. The dish reflects the region’s love of coconut, aromatics, and practical rice preparations for everyday meals and festive tables.
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