Vegetables

Appears in
Mortar and Pestle: Classic Indonesian Recipes for the Modern Kitchen
Mortar and Pestle

By Patricia Tanumihardja

Published 2024

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Although abundant, vegetables aren’t a highlight of the Indonesian diet. Common vegetables include pakis (ferns), the leaves of plants grown for their fruit and tubers—like papaya and tapioca—and easy-to-grow kangkung (water spinach), cucumbers, and long beans. And of course, there are Dutch imports like tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, and carrots, which are grown in elevated areas rich in volcanic soil and suited to temperate vegetables.

The simplest way to add vegetables to a meal—and Julia’s favorite—is to have Lalapan, fresh local vegetables eaten with sambal. In Indonesia, the most commonly eaten vegetables include cucumber, lettuce, kemangi (lemon basil), long beans, and tomatoes because they are inexpensive and available year-round. But they can vary by region. The vegetables are usually served raw but are sometimes blanched or grilled.