Today we’re heading to Indonesia—a country of a thousand islands and a thousand flavors, where every dish is steeped in the aromas of turmeric, lemongrass, and coconut. We’ll make two iconic dishes served everywhere from Jakarta’s street warungs to family tables in Bali.
A fragrant Indonesian chicken soup with a golden broth rich in turmeric and lemongrass. Served with rice vermicelli, boiled egg, and crisp fried shallots—warming, light, and incredibly aromatic.
Ingredients (serves 4):
• Bone-in chicken thighs — 600 g
• Water — 1.5 l
• Rice vermicelli (thin) — 150 g
• Ground turmeric — 1.5 tsp
• Lemongrass (stalks) — 2
• Fresh ginger — a 4 cm piece
• Garlic — 5 cloves
• Shallots (or red onion) — 3
• Ground coriander — 1 tsp
• Bay leaves — 2
• Vegetable oil — 3 tbsp
• Salt — to taste
• Chicken eggs — 4
• White cabbage — 150 g
• Scallions — 4 stalks
• Lime — 2
• Soy sauce — 2 tbsp
• Celery leaves — a small bunch
Preparation:
Step 1. Cooking the chicken and making the broth base.
Rinse the chicken thighs, place them in a pot, and cover with 1.5 l of cold water. Bruise the lemongrass stalks with the back of a knife to release their aroma, then add them to the pot along with the bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off the foam, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 35–40 minutes. Done when: the meat pulls easily from the bone when pressed with a fork.
Step 2. Making the bumbu paste.
While the chicken cooks, peel the ginger and slice it into thin 2 mm pieces. Peel the garlic. Peel 2 shallots and cut them into quarters. Place the ginger, garlic, shallots, ground turmeric, and ground coriander in a blender. Blend into a smooth paste, adding 1–2 tbsp of broth from the pot if needed. Done when: the paste is vivid yellow and smooth, with no large pieces.
Step 3. Frying the paste.
Heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the bumbu paste and fry for 4–5 minutes, stirring constantly. Done when: the paste darkens by a shade, thickens, oil begins separating around the edges, and the kitchen fills with the intense aroma of turmeric and ginger.
Step 4. Combining the broth and paste.
Remove the chicken from the broth and set aside to cool. Discard the lemongrass and bay leaves. Transfer the fried paste to the broth, add the soy sauce, stir, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt. Done when: the broth has taken on a rich golden-yellow color and a pronounced spicy aroma.
Step 5. Preparing the garnishes and toppings.
Cover the rice vermicelli with boiling water and leave for 5–7 minutes (or according to the package instructions), then drain in a colander and rinse with cold water. Boil the eggs until hard-boiled (10 minutes in boiling water), cool, and cut in half. Shred the cabbage into thin 3–4 mm strips. Slice the scallions and celery leaves into 3 mm rounds. Slice the remaining shallot into thin half-rings and fry in 1 tbsp of oil over medium heat until golden brown and crisp—about 3–4 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel.
Step 6. Shredding the chicken.
Remove the cooled chicken from the bones and pull it apart by hand into 4–5 cm shreds. You can include the skin for texture or remove it, as you prefer.
Step 7. Assembly and serving.
Place a serving of rice vermicelli, a handful of shredded cabbage, and a generous portion of chicken in a deep, warm bowl. Pour over the hot golden broth. Top with half a boiled egg, then scatter over the fried shallots, scallions, and celery leaves. Place a lime wedge alongside—the juice is squeezed into the soup just before eating. Done when served: the broth is steaming, the cabbage has softened slightly from the heat, and the aroma of turmeric and lemongrass rises above the bowl.
💡 Fact: Soto Ayam is so popular in Indonesia that there are more than 30 regional variations—from clear Soto Lamongan from Java to coconut-rich Soto Betawi from Jakarta. In 2023, CNN included soto on its list of the world’s best soups.
An Indonesian warm salad of blanched vegetables and fried tofu, generously drizzled with a thick peanut sauce brightened with chili and lime. Crunchy, creamy-nutty, and gently spicy, it’s a true calling card of Jakarta street food.
Ingredients (serves 4):
For the peanut sauce:
• Roasted unsalted peanuts — 200 g
• Garlic — 3 cloves
• Fresh red chili pepper — 1 (to taste)
• Soy sauce — 2 tbsp
• Lime juice — 2 tbsp
• Brown sugar (or palm sugar) — 1.5 tbsp
• Coconut milk — 100 ml
• Warm water — 80–100 ml
• Salt — to taste
For the salad:
• Firm tofu — 300 g
• Green beans — 200 g
• White cabbage — 200 g
• Carrots — 2 medium
• Cucumber — 1 large
• Bean sprouts (mung bean) — 150 g (if available; otherwise substitute baby spinach)
• Potatoes — 2 medium
• Chicken eggs — 4
• Vegetable oil for frying — 3 tbsp
• Shrimp crackers (krupuk) — for serving (optional)
Preparation:
Step 1. Making the peanut sauce.
Place the peanuts in a blender and grind them into coarse crumbs (not a paste—you need texture). Peel and finely chop the garlic. Split the chili lengthwise, remove the seeds for moderate heat, and dice it into 2–3 mm pieces. In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm 1 tsp of oil and fry the garlic and chili for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the crushed peanuts, soy sauce, brown sugar, coconut milk, and warm water. Stir, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook over low heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring. Remove from the heat, add the lime juice, and stir. Done when: the sauce has the consistency of thick sour cream and falls easily from a spoon in a broad ribbon. If it is too thick, add water a tablespoon at a time.
Step 2. Cooking the potatoes and eggs.
Peel the potatoes and slice them into 7–8 mm rounds. Boil in salted water for 12–15 minutes until tender (a knife slides in without resistance, but the slice still holds together). Hard-boil the eggs—10 minutes in boiling water. Cool in cold water, peel, and cut into quarters.
Step 3. Blanching the vegetables.
Bring a large pot of water with a pinch of salt to a boil. Prepare a bowl of ice water. Trim the green beans and cut them into 5 cm lengths. Peel the carrots and cut them into batons 5 cm long and 5 mm thick. Shred the cabbage into 1 cm-wide strips. Blanch the vegetables separately: carrots for 3 minutes, beans for 2.5 minutes, cabbage for 1.5 minutes, mung bean sprouts for 30 seconds. Transfer each batch immediately to the ice water to stop the cooking. Done when: the vegetables are brightly colored, crisp, but without a raw taste—al dente.
Step 4. Frying the tofu.
Pat the tofu dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Cut into rectangles approximately 3×4 cm and 1 cm thick. Heat 2–3 tbsp of vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat until the surface shimmers lightly. Arrange the tofu in a single layer without crowding the pan. Fry for 3–4 minutes on each side, without moving it, until a golden-brown crisp crust forms. Transfer to a paper towel. Done when: the crust is firm and makes a light sound when tapped, with an even golden color.
Step 5. Preparing the fresh components.
Wash the cucumber, halve it lengthwise, then slice into 4–5 mm half-moons. The cucumber is not blanched—it brings freshness and textural contrast.
Step 6. Assembling the dish.
Arrange the components in sections or neat groups on a large flat plate or in a wide bowl: potato rounds, blanched beans, carrots, cabbage, mung bean sprouts, cucumber slices, and pieces of fried tofu. Place the boiled egg quarters in the center or around the edges. This arrangement is traditional for gado-gado: every ingredient remains visible and distinct.
Step 7. Serving with sauce.
Generously pour the warm peanut sauce over the whole plate—it should coat the vegetables, not drown them. Add shrimp crackers (krupuk) for crunch, if desired. Serve immediately, while the tofu is still crisp and the vegetables retain their texture. Done when served: the dish looks bright and multicolored—green beans, orange carrots, white cabbage, golden tofu—all brought together by creamy peanut sauce.
💡 Fact: The name “gado-gado” literally translates as “hodgepodge” or “mix-mix,” reflecting the essence of the dish—a combination of many different components. In 2018, Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism officially included gado-gado among the country’s five national dishes, alongside nasi goreng and rendang.