Vegan Sayur Asem Jakarta
A beloved Jakarta specialty — a vibrant, refreshing soup brimming with sweet corn, chayote, long beans, young jackfruit, and garden vegetables, simmered in a beautifully balanced bright, tangy, and aromatic broth. The signature sourness comes from tamarind and bilimbi, perfectly complemented by warm spices and fresh chillies. Light, clear, and wonderfully appetising — this version is prepared entirely plant-based, free from shrimp paste, dried shrimp, or any animal ingredients, capturing every bit of the authentic bright, refreshing taste of Jakarta’s classic Sayur Asem.
Shared by novi
Time
45 min
Serves
6
Difficulty
easy
🛒 Ingredients
- #Main Vegetables;
- 2 ears sweet corn — cut into thick rounds
- 300 g labu siam (chayote) — peeled, seeded, cut into chunks
- 150 g long beans — cut into 4 cm lengths
- 150 g young jackfruit — roughly chopped
- 2 bilimbi (belimbing wuluh) — sliced (or use extra tamarind)
- 1 litre water
- #Sour Base & Spices;
- 2 tbsp tamarind paste — dissolved in 4 tbsp warm water, strained
- 6 shallots — thinly sliced.. 4 cloves garlic — thinly sliced
- 3–5 fresh red chillies — sliced, adjust to taste
- 2 cm fresh turmeric — or 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 cm fresh galangal — bruised.. 2 cm fresh ginger — bruised
- 2 stalks lemongrass — bruised.. 4 kaffir lime leaves — veins removed
- #Seasoning;
- 1 tsp sea salt — adjust to taste
- 1–2 tbsp coconut sugar or cane sugar — to balance the tang
- ½ tsp ground coriander
👩🍳 Instructions
- 1
Prepare the broth: Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add shallots, garlic, red chillies, turmeric, galangal, ginger, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, salt, sugar, and ground coriander. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes to release all the beautiful aromatics.
- 2
Add harder vegetables: Add sweet corn, labu siam, and jackfruit. Simmer for 10–12 minutes until they begin to soften.
- 3
Add remaining vegetables & sourness: Add long beans and sliced bilimbi. Pour in the strained tamarind juice. Simmer for another 8–10 minutes until all vegetables are tender yet still hold their shape and bright colour. Do not overcook — keep them fresh and vibrant.
- 4
Adjust and serve: Taste and balance — add more tamarind for tang, sugar for sweetness, or salt as needed. Remove lemongrass, galangal, ginger, and lime leaves. Serve hot with steamed rice. Best enjoyed fresh and bright!