Urap Sayur Salad (Indonesian Coconut Vegetables)
This satisfying Urap Sayur is a Balinese treasure. A crunch of blanched vegetables, infused with the aromatic kick of sambal, and crowned with a makrut and tamarind-flavored coconut topping.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 172kcal
Cost: $7.50
Equipment
- Colander or wire mesh strainer
- Frying pan or wok
Ingredients
Coconut topping
- ¾ cup desiccated coconut
- 6 makrut lime leaves aka kaffir lime leaves, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Sambal
- 2 bird’s eye chilies stems removed
- 1 Fresno chili stem removed
- 1 teaspoon grated galangal
- 1 teaspoon lemongrass powder
- 2 cloves garlic peeled
- 2 shallots peeled and quartered
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
Salad
- 200 grams green beans – cut into 1-inch 2.5 cm. pieces
- 300 grams
cabbage
chopped - 150 grams
mung bean sprouts
about 2 ½ cups - 2 tablespoons olive oil or canola oil, or vegetable oil
- 300 grams bunched spinach two bunches, washed well
Garnish
- 2 scallions thinly sliced
- Bird’s eye chili thinly sliced to taste
Instructions
Coconut Topping:
- In a medium pan over medium heat, toast desiccated coconut until lightly golden and fragrant.
- Add sliced makrut lime leaves, tamarind concentrate, and salt. Continue to sauté until mostly dry. Set aside.
Sambal
- Blend bird’s eye chilies, Fresno chili, grated galangal, lemongrass powder, garlic, shallots, lime juice, and salt until smooth.
Salad
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans, and cook them for 60 seconds. Stir in the cabbage and beansprouts and cook for another 45 seconds to blanch the veggies.
- Drain the vegetables in a colander and transfer them immediately to a bowl of ice water to shock them, preserving their color and texture.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. After 90 seconds, when the oil is hot, stir in the pureed sambal. Sauté for 4 minutes until the shallots soften and become very fragrant.
- Drain the blanched vegetables in a colander, and try to get them as dry as possible.
- Add the spinach to the pan with the sambal, and stir to coat the spinach in the seasonings.
- As soon as the spinach is coated in sambal, add the drained blanched vegetables to the pan. Stir fry just for about a minute until all veggies are warm and thoroughly coated in the sambal.
Assembly
- Plate the contents of the pan in an attractive serving dish and sprinkle on the coconut topping generously. Garnish if desired with thinly sliced scallions and bird’s eye chillies.
Notes
Blanching and Shocking:
To achieve the vibrant crunch in Urap Sayur, master the art of blanching and shocking. Immerse veggies in boiling water for precise times: green beans for 60 seconds, then spinach, cabbage, and beansprouts for 45 seconds. Swiftly transfer them to an ice bath, locking in the color and texture. This technique guarantees a visually appealing and crisp Urap Sayur.
Even Cooking of Coconut Topping:
For an evenly cooked and fragrant coconut topping, toast desiccated coconut on medium heat, stirring frequently. Infuse sliced makrut lime leaves, tamarind concentrate, and salt. Stirring consistently to ensure every flake is toasted to perfection, infusing the topping with an irresistible aroma and flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 172kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 540mg | Potassium: 650mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 5148IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 3mg