Coconut & Sambal: Recipes from My Indonesian Kitchen by Lara Lee

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    • Categories: Cookies, biscuits & crackers; Snacks; Indonesian
    • Ingredients: butter; eggs; egg yolks; rum; plain flour; cheddar cheese; tapioca flour
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    • Categories: Grills & BBQ; Quick / easy; Snacks; Side dish; Indonesian; Vegetarian
    • Ingredients: corn on the cob; sunflower oil; sea salt; limes; red chillies; palm sugar; kecap manis
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  • Lamb martabak (Martabak daging)
    • Categories: Canapés / hors d'oeuvre; Snacks; Entertaining & parties; Indonesian; Dairy-free
    • Ingredients: spring roll wrappers; eggs; coconut oil; sunflower oil; lamb mince; banana shallots; fresh ginger; spring onions; chives; ground coriander; ground cumin
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    • Categories: Canapés / hors d'oeuvre; Snacks; Entertaining & parties; Indonesian; Vegetarian; Vegan
    • Ingredients: spring roll wrappers; coconut oil; sunflower oil; banana shallots; fresh ginger; spring onions; chives; ground coriander; ground cumin; potatoes; butternut squash; bananas
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    • Categories: Fried doughs; Canapés / hors d'oeuvre; Snacks; Indonesian; Vegetarian; Vegan
    • Ingredients: sunflower oil; spring onions; fresh ginger; shiitake mushrooms; coriander leaves; white pepper; light soy sauce; sesame oil; potatoes; sweet potatoes; vegan gyoza wrappers
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    • Categories: Fried doughs; Canapés / hors d'oeuvre; Snacks; Indonesian
    • Ingredients: fine rice vermicelli noodles; sunflower oil; shiitake mushrooms; carrots; bean sprouts; garlic; spring onions; limes; spring roll wrappers; bananas; oyster sauce; fish sauce
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    • Categories: Fried doughs; Canapés / hors d'oeuvre; Snacks; Indonesian
    • Ingredients: plain flour; eggs; breadcrumbs; sunflower oil; bird's eye chillies; floury potatoes; butter; lamb mince; garlic; fresh ginger; spring onions; kecap manis; oyster sauce; ground coriander
    • Accompaniments: Tomato sambal (Sambal tomat)
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    • Categories: Fried doughs; Canapés / hors d'oeuvre; Snacks; Indonesian; Vegetarian
    • Ingredients: plain flour; eggs; breadcrumbs; sunflower oil; bird's eye chillies; floury potatoes; butter; garlic; fresh ginger; spring onions; kecap manis; ground coriander; mixed vegetables of your choice; light soy sauce
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    • Categories: Soups; Indonesian; Dairy-free; Gluten-free
    • Ingredients: coriander seeds; black peppercorns; king prawns; fish stock; flat rice noodles; firm tofu; baby pak choi; limes; coconut oil; tomatoes; bulb fennel; banana shallots; bay leaves; lemongrass; spring onions; eggs
    • Accompaniments: Fermented shrimp sambal terasi (Sambal terasi Kupang)
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    • Categories: Egg dishes; Soups; Cooking ahead; Indonesian; Gluten-free; Dairy-free
    • Ingredients: whole star anise; black peppercorns; cinnamon sticks; lemongrass; bay leaves; rice vermicelli noodles; chicken stock; chicken breasts; pak choi; bean sprouts; limes; sunflower oil; fresh ginger; garlic; banana shallots; white pepper; ground cumin; ground coriander; fresh turmeric; eggs
    • Accompaniments: Home made potato kerupuk; Fermented shrimp sambal terasi (Sambal terasi Kupang)
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    • Categories: Rice dishes; Soups; Breakfast / brunch; Cooking ahead; Chinese; Indonesian; Dairy-free
    • Ingredients: coriander seeds; black peppercorns; whole star anise; cinnamon sticks; fresh ginger; chicken stock; chicken thighs; basmati rice; lemongrass; banana shallots; bay leaves; dried red chillies; roasted unsalted peanuts; fried shallots; spring onions; long red chillies; limes; light soy sauce; eggs
    • Accompaniments: Caramelised shallot sambal bawang (Sambal bawang)
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    • Categories: Soups; Cooking ahead; Indonesian; Dairy-free
    • Ingredients: beef brisket; garlic; banana shallots; beef stock; chicken stock; pak choi; flat rice noodles; spring onions; beef mince; white pepper; sea salt flakes; ground cumin; ground coriander; long red chillies; kecap manis; fried shallots; rice vinegar
    • Accompaniments: Peanut and kaffir lime kerupuk (Rempeyek); Ground chilli sambal ulek (Sambal ulek)
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    • Categories: Egg dishes; Quick / easy; Rice dishes; Breakfast / brunch; Main course; Cooking for 1 or 2; Indonesian; Dairy-free
    • Ingredients: chicken thighs; galangal; banana shallots; green beans; spring onions; turmeric; jasmine rice; kecap manis; fish sauce; light soy sauce; white pepper; coconut oil; eggs; fried shallots; long red chillies
    • Accompaniments: Peanut and kaffir lime kerupuk (Rempeyek); Peanut sauce (Sambal kacang)
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Notes about this book

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Notes about Recipes in this book

  • Pan-fried dabu-dabu sea bass (Ikan goreng dabu-dabu)

    • JoanN on April 29, 2022

      Liked this a great deal, although I thought the dabu-dabu was more fiery than the delicately, lime flavored, fish required. Dabu-dabu is a Northern Sulawesi condiment often served with grilled fish. Will make it again, but need to deseed some of the chiles. And would hope to find either Thai or lemon basil, which I think would better complement the fish, instead of the regular basil which was all that was available to me this time of year.

  • Sticky beef short rib with chilli (Iga bumbu dendeng balado)

    • JoanN on April 26, 2022

      Wow! This was excellent. Took one taste of the sauce and went right back into the kitchen to pour spoonsful of it over the rice. Another company worthy recipe from this book. Didn't think the balado added all that much to the dish. Might be because I deseeded too many chiles or used too little lime juice but might just skip it next time.

    • meggan on January 22, 2021

      This ended up very salty more than anything. No one was enthralled.

  • Balinese sticky glazed pork ribs (Iga babi Bali)

    • JoanN on April 26, 2022

      Terrific. Company worthy. There aren't many good rib recipes that can be made in the oven and since I live in a NYC apartment, an outdoor grill is not an option for me. This is among the best oven-roasted rib recipes I've made. Almost entirely hands off and can be made ahead. leftovers as good as fresh out of the oven.

  • Spicy baked aubergine (Terung balado)

    • Apollonia on August 30, 2020

      This was good, though it didn't knock my socks off, probably because my sambal wasn't spicy or flavorful enough. It was, however, markedly improved as leftovers the next day, as the eggplant really picked up the flavor of the paste. I'd make again, but with more attention to the sambal.

    • rmardel on May 01, 2022

      Agree with Apollonia that this improved greatly the next day. It was not bad the first day, but not special either. This could partially be because the sambal improves if allowed to sit, and my sambal was not spicy enough simply because of the availability of chiles in my location at the moment. Worth fiddling with though.

  • Gado-gado salad with peanut sauce (Gado-gado)

    • Apollonia on May 14, 2021

      Classic Gado Gado. The peanut sauce is particularly nice--- I did mine with a mixture of roasted peanuts and peanut butter because raw peanuts are not easily available where I live, and it was great.

  • Sweet soy tempeh (Tempe manis)

    • Apollonia on September 09, 2023

      This was just ok for us. Some of the blame is on me --- needed some spicier chilies maybe, and my frozen lime leaves were probably a bit old--- but it didn't quite hang together for me. On the plus side, the warm fried peanuts and mangeout were really nice together, and the tempeh did get nicely sweet in the sauce.

    • jenburkholder on July 01, 2022

      Liked this. We subbed gai lan for the mangetout. Added a few more lime leaves and this was a good choice - their citrusy aroma was one of the nicest things about this dish. Would make again.

  • Crispy soy and ginger roast potatoes (Kentang kecap dan jahe)

    • debkellie on August 23, 2020

      Really, really tasty (served without the soy dressing). But again nowhere near golden & crispy in time & temp suggested. I boosted heat in the end. Probably 30 minutes longer...

  • Timorese tomato and coriander salad (Lawar tomat dan turis)

    • bernalgirl on June 03, 2022

      It’s still early for great tomatoes so I marinated the cherry tomatoes in a little salt and sugar before putting everything together. This is a really simple and delicious salad and was absolutely great with coconut rice.

    • jenburkholder on May 26, 2022

      Very good. Sharp and refreshing, even kept pretty well. Went great with pork belly. We used regular sun dried tomatoes (not in oil) as our “sun kissed tomatoes”. Normally not a big fan of those but it really worked well together with the cherry tomatoes and all the other sharp freshness.

  • Soy mushrooms and pak choi (Jamur sayur kecap)

    • bernalgirl on April 02, 2022

      Working with what I had, I made this with cabbage and wood ear mushrooms. I got a char on the cabbage and then followed the recipe. The flavoring is subtle and delicious, the vinegar adds dimension and the sugar stops well short of cloying. I can’t wIt to make it as written!

    • rmardel on May 01, 2022

      Excellent. Could use less sugar, but that may just be my taste.

    • jenburkholder on April 11, 2022

      Very nice treatment of bok choy and shiitakes. We decreased the sugar slightly and would do that again.

  • Fragrant stir-fried morning glory (Tumis kangkung)

    • bernalgirl on April 30, 2022

      A great side dish, and a nice way to prepare morning glory, or hollow stem vegetable.

  • Spiced meatball soup (Bakso)

    • bernalgirl on April 14, 2022

      I used a gelatin-rich beef broth and a lighter chicken stock, and doubled the meatballs. The meatballs are light and flavorful, the processing step is worth the time. We enjoyed this soup with the recommended toppings but it would be bland without them. We especially enjoyed the texture of the fried shallots and thinly sliced Chiles along with a good hit of acid, my kids used lime while the adults used a homemade Thai-style chile-infused vinegar.

    • rmardel on May 20, 2022

      I used gelatin rich broth both venison and chicken. The meatballs are light and delicate in flavor and the combination of coriander and cumin enhances the flavor of the soup. The quality of the broth is important here, as is being careful not to use a salty broth as it reduces considerably. IT is really the condiments that make this soup.

  • Spiced Balinese roast chicken (Ayam betutu)

    • bernalgirl on September 21, 2022

      The spice paste is flavorful, the chicken skin is crispy, and the kale cooked in the drippings is out of this world. Excellent with coconut rice and the Timorese tomato salad in the same book.

  • Prawn and chicken fried noodles (Mie goreng udang)

    • bernalgirl on April 29, 2022

      I followed the recipe except for swapping blanched green bean pieces for bean sprouts due to availability and family preference. This recipe is solidly good but did not strike any of us as great. It was a bit bland in seasoning and most of us adjusted at the table. In my teen’s words, “you make way better Asian noodle dishes. Next time just add prawns to those”.

  • Green chilli and lemongrass pork (Tinoransak)

    • bernalgirl on April 30, 2022

      I knew this would be too spicy for my family as written and I couldn’t get Anaheim peppers this time of year so I used a green bell pepper, two seranos, de-seeded, and a large jalapeño. I’m sure that affected the flavor and the green bell made the combination more wet, but this was a very flavorful dish. I salted along the way and increased the fish sauce to finish at the end. I’d make this again.

  • Pork and prawn rice noodles (Kwetiau)

    • bernalgirl on April 30, 2022

      I followed the recipe with the exception of the bean sprouts, which I substituted for blanched 1-inch lengths of green beans. My family and I anjoyed this but my teen said that I make pork noodle dishes they like much more and maybe I should add prawns and eggs to those. This is a little bland.

  • Crispy pork belly instant noodles (Indomie dengan babi tore)

    • bernalgirl on July 04, 2022

      This is a bowl full of umami goodness. The directions are very clear and result in a dish with wonderful flavors and textures — no gummy noodles. I sought out Indomie but since the recipe doesn’t include the sauce packets, I think any instant ramen-style noodle would work. Also I couldn’t get red chiles so used serranos and jalapeños with some red bell for color. It is salty, however, so don’t skip the toppings! The fresh cilantro and peanuts cut the salt and a squeeze of lime adds necessary acidity. My family loved this and I will make it again.

  • Tomato sambal (Sambal tomat)

    • rmardel on May 06, 2022

      Flavor was better, more complex and better melded, the second day.

  • Coconut beef and peanut stir-fry (Serundeng daging)

    • rmardel on May 01, 2022

      This was promising but lacked complexity. I don't think the peanuts added anything much to the flavor profile. I do think they would have enhanced the dish if added after cooking. I may feel the same way about the coconut which I felt was lost. The flavor also needs something to brighten it up a bit: more lime leaves? lime? additional tamarind? On the fence as to whether this was a one-off or is with fiddling with.

  • Peanut and kaffir lime kerupuk (Rempeyek)

    • rmardel on April 18, 2022

      It was difficult to keep these evenly thin and crispy with small lacy holes. The dough tended to pool in the centers and be thicker. The thin and lacy areas of the crackers were crispy, flavorful, and addicting. The centers a bit too chewy and rich. This may be something that requires practice. The flavors were clear and bright and played well together. Thinly sliceded green chili might be a good addition.

  • Fresh tomato and basil dabu-dabu (Dabu-dabu Manado)

  • Spiced corn fritters (Perkedel jagung)

    • Running_with_Wools on March 19, 2023

      These are delicious. I made them as an appetizer for an Indonesian meal with friends. You start with a fragrant fried mixture of shallots, chilies, ginger, garlic and spices. It is ground to a paste and mixed with corn, eggs, and corn flour. I used canned corn and served with siracha and wedges of limes.

  • Vegan butternut ribs

    • Running_with_Wools on September 25, 2022

      My friend recently went vegan and I had a butternut squash and found this when I searched. These. Are. Addictive. Absolutely delicious. I will make this again and will also try this sauce with slow cooked ribs.

  • Beef rendang (Rendang daging)

    • Etrnalhope on May 11, 2021

      I didn't love this version, but it could've been because I used another beef rendang recipe first, so my expectations influenced it. I ended up adding another extra tsp of salt and a Tbsp of Gula Jawa. Mine turned out drier than I wanted it. I'm not sure if was something I did or the recipe, but it didn't turn out as dry the one other time I made it with another recipe. Flavor was delicious though!

  • Sweet soy pork belly (Babi kecap)

    • atamarindpod on October 11, 2021

      The first time I made this the dish was overwhelmed by the amount of ginger that the recipe asked for and this only got worse on successive reheats. On my second try I reduced the ginger to one-fourth and got much better results. In this iteration the flavors properly mellow out and blend together, making it excellent on repeated reheats.

  • Chicken satay with peanut sauce (Sate ayam Madura)

    • dosojosazules on November 06, 2022

      This is so delicious. A lot of sugar with the marinades and sauces, but totally worth it

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  • ISBN 10 1526603519
  • ISBN 13 9781526603517
  • Linked ISBNs
  • Published May 14 2020
  • Format Hardcover
  • Page Count 288
  • Language English
  • Countries United Kingdom
  • Publisher Bloomsbury

Publishers Text

Coconut & Sambal reveals the secrets behind authentic Indonesian cookery. With more than 80 traditional and vibrant recipes that have been passed down through the generations, you will discover dishes such as Nasi goreng, Beef rendang, Chilli prawn satay and Pandan cake, alongside a variety of recipes for sambals: fragrant, spicy relishes that are undoubtedly the heart and soul of every meal.

Lara Lee uses simple techniques and easily accessible ingredients throughout Coconut and Sambal, interweaving the recipes with beguiling tales of island life and gorgeous travel photography that shines a light on the magnificent, little-known cuisine of Indonesia.

What are you waiting for? Travel the beautiful islands of Indonesia and taste the different regions through these recipes.

US publishing date 10/13/2020

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