Sayur lodeh is the kind of dish that turns up in almost every Indonesian household, a soft, coconutty vegetable curry that's equal parts nourishing and quietly delicious. It's traditionally made with whatever vegetables are on hand, which makes it a brilliant way to use up a crisper drawer full of odds and ends, long beans, eggplant, cabbage, corn and chayote are all classics.
The base is a simple spice paste of shallots, garlic, candlenuts and chilli, fried off until fragrant before the vegetables go in to simmer gently in coconut milk. A few bay and lime leaves lift the whole pot with a gentle citrusy perfume, and the result is mellow, mild and deeply comforting, more of a warm hug than a fiery curry.
Serve it the way it's eaten across Java, ladled over steamed rice, alongside crunchy fried tempeh or tofu and perhaps a spoonful of sambal on the side for those who like a bit more heat.
