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1
Grind the Spice Paste
10 Mins • Hands On
No heat — room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Put the shallots, garlic, soaked candlenuts, chili and turmeric in a mortar or food processor with a splash of water and grind to a smooth, thick paste. It should smell sweet, warm and a little sharp.
A mortar gives the smoothest paste; if you use a processor, stop and scrape the sides down twice.
Done when: The paste is smooth, with no visible chunks of shallot or nut.
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2
Fry the Paste and Build the Soup
10 Mins • Hands On
Medium heat, about 160°C (320°F)
Heat the oil in a large pot and fry the spice paste, stirring, for 4–5 minutes until it darkens a shade and smells deeply fragrant. Add the lemongrass, galangal and bay leaves, then pour in the water and the coconut milk and stir. Bring to a gentle simmer — never a hard boil, or the coconut milk will split.
If the paste starts to stick, add a spoonful of water rather than more oil.
Done when: The paste is fragrant and darker, and the liquid is steaming with small bubbles at the edges.
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3
Simmer the Vegetables
20 Mins • Hands On
Gentle simmer, about 95°C (203°F)
Add the chayote and jackfruit and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the long beans, tempeh and tofu and simmer for 10 more minutes until the chayote is tender and the beans are bright but still crisp. Stir in the palm sugar and salt, taste, and lift out the lemongrass, galangal and bay leaves.
Keep the heat low and stir now and then so the coconut milk stays smooth and creamy.
Done when: The vegetables are tender, the beans still have a bite, and the soup tastes sweet, salty and gently hot.
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4
Boil the Eggs and Fry the Crackers
12 Mins • Hands On
Boiling water, 100°C (212°F); oil about 180°C (355°F)
While the soup simmers, boil the eggs for 10 minutes, cool them under cold water, peel and halve. Fry the tapioca crackers in hot oil for a few seconds until they puff up, then drain on paper towel. Fry the reserved sliced shallot until crisp and golden.
Crackers go from flat to puffed in seconds — lift them out the moment they open, or they brown.
Done when: Eggs are fully set with no grey ring; crackers are puffed and crisp; shallots are golden, not dark.
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5
Assemble the Bowls
5 Mins • Hands On
Serve hot, about 65°C (150°F)
Divide the lontong cubes between four deep bowls. Ladle the hot soup and vegetables over them, set two egg halves on each bowl, and finish with the crisp shallots, the crackers and a spoonful of sambal on the side. Serve at once.
Ladle the soup over the rice cakes at the table so the cubes stay firm and the crackers stay crisp.
Done when: Each bowl has white rice-cake cubes under golden soup, with egg, crackers and shallots on top.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Ladle the hot soup over the rice cakes at the table, set the egg halves on top, and scatter the fried shallots and crackers over everything so the crackers are still crisp when the bowl reaches the table.
Indonesia
35m
