Sayur Asem (Indonesian Sour Vegetable Soup)

Ingredients

• 100g young melinjo leaves and seeds (daun dan biji melinjo)
• 100g young jackfruit, cut into pieces (nangka muda)
• 1 pc chayote, peeled and diced (labu siam)
• 50g raw peanuts, shelled (kacang tanah)
• 1 pc corn on the cob, cut into 3-4 pieces (jagung manis)
• 5-6 long beans, cut into 3-4 cm lengths (kacang panjang)
• 1 pc eggplant, cut into pieces (terong)
• 1.5 - 2 liters water
• 2 cm galangal, bruised (lengkuas)
• 1 stalk lemongrass, bruised (serai)
• 3-4 bay leaves (daun salam)
• 2 tbsp tamarind pulp, dissolved in 1/4 cup hot water and strained (asam jawa)
• 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 tsp sugar (or to taste)

For the Spice Paste (Bumbu Halus)

• 6-8 shallots (bawang merah)
• 3-4 cloves garlic (bawang putih)
• 3-5 red chilies (cabe merah besar), adjust to preferred spiciness
• 2-3 bird's eye chilies (cabe rawit), optional, for extra heat
• 2 cm kencur (sand ginger), optional
• 2 candlenuts, roasted (kemiri sangrai)
• 1 tsp terasi (shrimp paste), roasted/toasted (terasi bakar)

Instructions

1. Prepare all vegetables. Wash and cut them as specified.
2. Prepare the spice paste: Grind or blend shallots, garlic, red chilies, bird's eye chilies (if using), kencur (if using), roasted candlenuts, and roasted terasi until smooth. Add a little water if using a blender to facilitate grinding.
3. In a large pot, bring 1.5 - 2 liters of water to a boil.
4. Add the harder-to-cook vegetables first: young jackfruit, raw peanuts, and corn. Also add the bruised galangal, bruised lemongrass, and bay leaves. Let it cook for about 10-15 minutes or until the jackfruit and corn are slightly tender.
5. Add the ground spice paste to the pot. Stir well to combine.
6. Add the chayote and melinjo seeds. Continue to cook for another 5-7 minutes.
7. Pour in the strained tamarind solution. Season with salt and sugar. Stir and taste, adjusting seasoning as needed to achieve a balanced sweet, sour, and savory flavor.
8. Finally, add the melinjo leaves, long beans, and eggplant. Cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender but still retain some crispness. Do not overcook to maintain vegetable texture.
9. Remove from heat and serve hot with steamed rice and other Indonesian side dishes.