Lontong Kuah Lodeh with Crispy Anchovy Sambal

Steps

▶ Tap a timecode to jump to roughly that moment in the video.

1. 1
   Prepare the spice base for the coconut stew: rough-chop red onion, ginger, garlic, and fresh turmeric; wash dried shrimp and soak in hot water to soften; add candlenuts and blend with the aromatics until completely smooth.
   ▶ ≈1:18
2. 2
   Prepare turmeric-coated tofu products: cut tempeh and tofu into 2cm cubes, toss with turmeric powder, and shallow-fry until semi-crisp on the outside. This prevents the gravy from spoiling quickly and keeps the tofu products from disintegrating.
   ▶ ≈3:38
3. 3
   Prepare glass noodles and tofu skin: break tofu skin into rough pieces; soak both ingredients in room-temperature water for 15–30 minutes until soft, then rinse with water before adding to the gravy. This prevents them from absorbing too much liquid.
   ▶ ≈3:15
4. 4
   Prepare vegetables: peel and slice carrot on the diagonal; cut jicama and white radish into strips; cut long beans into 1.5-inch pieces. Avoid slicing too thinly so vegetables maintain their texture when cooked.
   ▶ ≈2:22
5. 5
   Bruise galangal and lemongrass: peel galangal, roughly chop to 1 inch, and lightly pound with a pestle; lightly pound lemongrass without crushing completely—just bruise to release aroma.
   ▶ ≈1:59
6. 6
   Prepare shrimp: rinse and remove the black vein; optionally trim heads, though keeping heads in the gravy enhances sweetness during cooking.
   ▶ ≈4:31
7. 7
   Sauté the blended spice paste: heat oil in the wok, add the blended paste, and sauté until fragrant and color deepens to light brown. Add the bruised galangal and lemongrass, stir briefly. This sautéing method develops depth and helps the gravy last longer without spoiling.
   ▶ ≈4:58
8. 8
   Add the harder vegetables: add carrots, jicama, and white radish, stirring to combine.
   ▶ ≈5:25
9. 9
   Add water and simmer: pour in 4–6 cups of water and cook until vegetables are tender.
   ▶ ≈5:44
10. 10
    Add tofu skin, glass noodles, and coconut milk: add the pre-soaked rinsed tofu skin and glass noodles along with 2 small boxes of coconut milk, stirring well to combine.
    ▶ ≈6:04
11. 11
    Add fried tempeh, tofu, and long beans: add the fried tempeh and tofu, then long beans last. If the gravy seems too thick, add more water but also adjust coconut milk to maintain proper consistency.
    ▶ ≈6:11
12. 12
    Add shrimp and season: add shrimp, salt to taste, about 1/2 tbsp tamarind juice (not for sourness, just to balance flavors), and about 1/2 tbsp seasoning powder. Stir frequently over medium-low heat to prevent coconut milk from breaking.
    ▶ ≈6:33
13. 13
    Check flavor and color: if the gravy isn't vibrant or yellow enough, add more turmeric powder. When shrimp is cooked through, turn off heat and the gravy is ready.
    ▶ ≈6:48
14. 14
    Prepare sambal spice paste: rough-chop 1.5 red onions (set aside 0.5 diced for sautéing), add 3 garlic cloves, 1 inch shrimp paste (or 1/2 cup anchovies if allergic), 15–20 dried chilies with seeds removed, and blend until smooth.
    ▶ ≈7:14
15. 15
    Fry the anchovies: wash and drain about 400g anchovies, fry in hot oil until completely crispy with no more bubbles (indicating all moisture has evaporated), then drain and set aside.
    ▶ ≈8:01
16. 16
    Sauté the diced onion: in the same wok, sauté the reserved diced onion until just softened, not browned or crispy.
    ▶ ≈8:24
17. 17
    Sauté the spice paste until oil separates: add the blended paste and keep stirring for about 30–40 minutes until the oil visibly separates and the color darkens (not too dark yet, as sugar hasn't been added).
    ▶ ≈8:30
18. 18
    Add sugar and seasonings: add 1 piece palm sugar (color will change rapidly), add 1 anchovy stock cube (adjust as desired), salt if needed, and a bit of tamarind juice. Keep stirring until the sambal turns dark red.
    ▶ ≈8:52
19. 19
    Finish the sambal: add the fried anchovies, stir just briefly, then immediately turn off heat. The crispy anchovy sambal is ready.
    ▶ ≈9:12
20. 20
    Serve: cut the compressed rice cakes (or instant rice cake) and arrange on a plate, pour abundant kuah lodeh over it, top with a boiled egg, and add a spoonful of crispy anchovy sambal. Ready to serve and enjoy.
    ▶ ≈9:18