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Brief Overview
Sayur Asem is one of those dishes that quietly define Indonesian home cooking. It is not bold like rendang or fiery like sambal, yet its presence at the table feels comforting. This tamarind vegetable soup has a refreshing tang that livens the palate and cuts through heavier dishes.
Often enjoyed in Javanese households, Sayur Asem is served alongside fried tempeh, salted fish, or grilled meats. Its light, sour broth carries an inviting warmth, making it a perfect companion for steamed rice. Each spoonful brings a gentle acidity balanced with earthy vegetables.
Despite its simplicity, Sayur Asem remains unforgettable. It embodies the unspoken elegance of Indonesian daily meals, where flavours are not forced but allowed to unfold gently. For many, it is a taste that feels like coming home.
What Is Sayur Asem?
Sayur Asem is a sour vegetable soup made with tamarind, peanuts, and assorted vegetables simmered in a light broth. Its name combines the word for vegetables with “asem,” meaning sour, reflecting its tangy flavour.
The broth is created by dissolving tamarind pulp in water, then simmering it with spices like galangal, bay leaves, and sometimes aromatic torch ginger. The result is a broth that feels bright, with acidity that sharpens the appetite.
Within the soup, vegetables like corn, long beans, melinjo leaves, and chayote add texture and natural sweetness. Each ingredient soaks up the broth’s sour notes, creating a dish that tastes refreshing and grounded.
Ingredients and Taste
Sayur Asem brings together simple, accessible ingredients. Tamarind pulp gives it a distinct sourness, while galangal and bay leaves add depth. Melinjo seeds provide an earthy bite, and sweetcorn adds a soft sweetness.
Long beans, chayote, and peanuts round out the texture, giving each spoonful a satisfying mix of crunch and softness. Some variations include young jackfruit or eggplant, depending on regional availability and preference.
The soup’s taste is unmistakable. It is light yet flavourful, sour yet balanced by sweetness from corn and freshness from long beans and leaves. Sayur Asem cleanses the palate without overwhelming it, leaving a clean finish.
A Taste of History
Sayur Asem has its roots in Javanese kitchens, where sour soups are common to balance rich main dishes. Tamarind has long been used in Indonesian cooking to bring acidity, making meals feel lighter and more rounded.
Farmers traditionally prepared Sayur Asem using vegetables gathered from their gardens, ensuring no waste and maximising seasonal produce. It became a staple because it was practical, nutritious, and quick to prepare. Over time, Sayur Asem travelled beyond Java to other islands, each adding subtle local variations. Yet its core remains unchanged: a tamarind based soup that brings refreshment and balance to the Indonesian table.
Today, Sayur Asem continues to be served in homes and small warungs alike. Its flavour reflects Indonesia’s practical wisdom: a reminder that food does not need to be heavy or rich to feel fulfilling and deeply satisfying. Each bowl carries the generosity of a cuisine that values balance and simplicity. Sayur Asem remains loved for its honest flavours and its power to refresh the body and mind, especially on hot tropical afternoons.
How to make Sayur Asem
Sayur Asem is a classic Sundanese vegetable soup known for its tangy, refreshing tamarind broth brimming with assorted vegetables. Expect a light yet flavourful soup with earthy sweetness balanced by sharp sourness. Perfect for pairing with rice and fried dishes. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions
Ingredients
For the soup
- 1.5 litres water
- 150g tamarind pulp
- 4 long beans, cut into 5cm lengths
- 150g young jackfruit (cut into chunks)
- 2 sweetcorn cobs, each cut into 3 pieces
- 100g melinjo leaves (or spinach as substitute)
- 50g melinjo nuts (optional)
- 1 medium chayote, peeled and cut into chunks
- 3 red chillies, left whole
Spice paste
- 5 shallots
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 candlenuts
- 2 cm galangal, peeled
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp palm sugar
Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the tamarind water
To begin, soak tamarind pulp in 300ml of warm water for 10 minutes. Squeeze well to extract the juice, then strain and set aside. This ensures a smooth, clear soup base. Proceed to preparing the spice paste.
Step 2: Make the spice paste
In a mortar and pestle or food processor, grind shallots, garlic, candlenuts, galangal, and salt into a smooth paste. Adding a splash of water will ease blending. Move to boiling the water.
Step 3: Boil the soup base
Pour 1.5 litres of water into a large pot. Bring it to a gentle boil over medium heat. This prepares the broth for seasoning with spices.
Step 4: Add the spice paste
Stir in the prepared spice paste and palm sugar. Allow it to simmer for 5 minutes to fully release the aromatics into the broth. Proceed to adding tamarind water.
Step 5: Pour in tamarind water
Add the strained tamarind water into the pot. Stir well and bring back to a simmer. Adjust sourness according to taste preference before adding vegetables.
Step 6: Add hard vegetables
Add young jackfruit chunks and sweetcorn pieces first as they require longer cooking. Simmer for 10 minutes until starting to soften. Move to adding chayote.
Step 7: Add chayote and melinjo nuts
Add chayote chunks and melinjo nuts if using. Continue simmering for another 10 minutes until all vegetables are tender. Transition to adding softer vegetables.
Step 8: Add long beans and melinjo leaves
Stir in the long beans and melinjo leaves. Add whole chillies for aroma without excess heat. Cook for 3–5 minutes until the beans turn vibrant green. Proceed to final seasoning.
Step 9: Adjust seasoning
Taste the soup and adjust with extra salt, palm sugar, or tamarind water as desired. The broth should be tangy, savoury, and balanced. Prepare to serve.
Final step: Serve hot
Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot with steamed rice and fried tempeh or salted fish on the side. Presentation tip: garnish with extra fresh red chillies for colour contrast.
Variations and substitutions
- Substitute melinjo leaves with spinach if unavailable.
- Replace melinjo nuts with peanuts for nutty texture.
- Add aubergine or pumpkin for regional variations.
Cooking Tips for Perfect Sayur Asem
- Always soak and squeeze tamarind pulp well to extract its full flavour.
- Add vegetables in stages according to hardness for even cooking.
- Simmer gently to preserve the vibrant colour and texture of vegetables.
- Adjust sourness to your taste by adding more tamarind water gradually.
Indonesian Sayur Asem (Tamarind Vegetable Soup)
Ingredients
For the soup
- 1.5 litres water
- 150 g tamarind pulp
- 4 long beans cut into 5cm lengths
- 150 g young jackfruit cut into chunks
- 2 sweetcorn cobs each cut into 3 pieces
- 100 g melinjo leaves or spinach as substitute
- 50 g melinjo nuts optional
- 1 medium chayote peeled and cut into chunks
- 3 red chillies left whole
Spice paste
- 5 shallots
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 candlenuts
- 2 cm galangal peeled
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp palm sugar
Instructions
- To begin, soak tamarind pulp in 300ml of warm water for 10 minutes. Squeeze well to extract the juice, then strain and set aside. This ensures a smooth, clear soup base. Proceed to preparing the spice paste.
- In a mortar and pestle or food processor, grind shallots, garlic, candlenuts, galangal, and salt into a smooth paste. Adding a splash of water will ease blending. Move to boiling the water.
- Pour 1.5 litres of water into a large pot. Bring it to a gentle boil over medium heat. This prepares the broth for seasoning with spices.
- Stir in the prepared spice paste and palm sugar. Allow it to simmer for 5 minutes to fully release the aromatics into the broth. Proceed to adding tamarind water.
- Add the strained tamarind water into the pot. Stir well and bring back to a simmer. Adjust sourness according to taste preference before adding vegetables.
- Add young jackfruit chunks and sweetcorn pieces first as they require longer cooking. Simmer for 10 minutes until starting to soften. Move to adding chayote.
- Add chayote chunks and melinjo nuts if using. Continue simmering for another 10 minutes until all vegetables are tender. Transition to adding softer vegetables.
- Stir in the long beans and melinjo leaves. Add whole chillies for aroma without excess heat. Cook for 3–5 minutes until the beans turn vibrant green. Proceed to final seasoning.
- Taste the soup and adjust with extra salt, palm sugar, or tamarind water as desired. The broth should be tangy, savoury, and balanced. Prepare to serve.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot with steamed rice and fried tempeh or salted fish on the side. Presentation tip: garnish with extra fresh red chillies for colour contrast.
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