📝 About This Recipe
Sayur Labu Siam is a quintessential Indonesian comfort food, featuring tender julienned chayote squash simmered in a fragrant, golden coconut milk broth. This dish is a staple of festive 'Lontong Sayur' breakfasts and traditional Javanese family dinners, offering a delicate balance of savory, sweet, and mild spicy notes. The aromatic base of galangal, lemongrass, and turmeric creates a soul-warming experience that perfectly captures the heart of Indonesian home cooking.
🥗 Ingredients
Main Vegetables
- 2 large Chayote (Labu Siam) (peeled and julienned into matchsticks)
- 5-6 pieces Long beans (Kacang Panjang) (cut into 2-inch lengths)
- 1 tablespoon Salt (for drawing out sap from the chayote)
Spice Paste (Bumbu Halus)
- 6 pieces Shallots (peeled)
- 3 cloves Garlic (peeled)
- 3-5 pieces Red Bird's Eye Chilies (deseeded for less heat)
- 3 pieces Candlenuts (toasted)
- 1 inch Turmeric (fresh, or 1/2 tsp powder)
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
Aromatics and Liquids
- 500 ml Coconut milk (thin or medium consistency)
- 3 pieces Salam leaves (Indonesian Bay Leaves)
- 1 inch Galangal (Lengkuas) (bruised)
- 1 stalk Lemongrass (white part only, bruised)
- 1 tablespoon Palm sugar (Gula Jawa) (shaved)
- 2 tablespoons Vegetable oil (for sautéing)
- 1 tablespoon Dried Shrimp (Ebi) (soaked in hot water and minced)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Place the julienned chayote in a bowl and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of salt. Knead gently for 2 minutes until the squash softens and releases its sticky sap. Rinse thoroughly under cold water and drain well.
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2
In a blender or stone mortar and pestle, grind all the 'Spice Paste' ingredients until a smooth, uniform paste forms. Add a teaspoon of oil if using a blender to help it move.
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3
Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large pot or wok over medium heat.
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4
Sauté the spice paste along with the minced dried shrimp (ebi), bruised galangal, lemongrass, and salam leaves. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the paste darkens slightly and the oil begins to separate from the spices.
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5
Add the julienned chayote to the pot. Stir well to coat every piece of squash with the aromatic spice paste.
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6
Pour in the coconut milk and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Do not let it boil vigorously or the coconut milk may break.
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7
Add the long beans and palm sugar. Stir gently to incorporate.
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8
Simmer for 10-12 minutes over medium-low heat until the chayote is tender but still retains a slight bite (al dente).
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9
Season with salt and a pinch of white pepper to taste. Adjust the sweetness with more palm sugar if desired.
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10
Once the vegetables are cooked and the broth has slightly thickened, remove the lemongrass, galangal, and salam leaves before serving.
💡 Chef's Tips
Don't skip the salt-kneading step for the chayote; it removes the bitter sap and improves the texture significantly. If you cannot find salam leaves, you can substitute with curry leaves or omit them, as European bay leaves have a very different flavor profile. For a richer broth, use 250ml of thick coconut cream and 250ml of water instead of 500ml of thin milk. To make it vegetarian, simply omit the dried shrimp (ebi) and add a little extra salt or a teaspoon of mushroom bouillon. Ensure you sauté the spice paste until 'tanak' (fully cooked and fragrant) to avoid a raw onion taste in the final curry.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve hot over steamed jasmine rice or compressed rice cakes (Lontong). Top with a generous handful of crispy fried shallots (Bawang Goreng) for essential crunch. Pair with 'Telur Pindang' (Javanese braised eggs) and a side of shrimp crackers (Krupuk). Add a dollop of Sambal Terasi on the side for those who prefer an extra spicy kick. This dish tastes even better the next day after the flavors have fully melded together.