My version of serundeng is made with ingredients I could source in South Africa. Despite having a large East Indian community, we do not grow everything the original recipe called for. I have used this to add as a topping for a hot and sour prawn curry. And I have made flatbreads using the condiment as an add in to the flour.
Skip ahead to the recipe for Serundeng
Let’s talk about serundeng
Last year when we were in Amsterdam, Dave and I went to Kartika for dinner. The restaurant was recommended to us by a friend, and the meal was fantastic. I told Eva about one of the side dishes that we had, and she immediately recognized it as serundeng. Her father was born in Indonesia where this grated coconut condiment comes from. He would often make it when she was growing up. I asked Eva for a recipe, which she tracked down for me, so I could make my own variation. The key is freshly grated coconut, which can seem a little bit tedious, but it is worth the effort. Sprinkled on top of rice dishes, added to soups or bulked up with meat, this adds a beautiful depth of flavour to an Indonesian meal.
The influence of the Dutch East Indies
At school, we learnt about the Dutch East Indies. Mainly because the Dutch East India Company is the reason South Africa exists today. On the 6th of April 1652 Jan van Riebeeck established a permanent settlement at the Cape of Good Hope. Ships stopped off here to replenish, when travelling between the East Indies and Europe. It was not until I was older than I realized what it meant for Indonesia to have been colonized by The Netherlands. And what it meant for the children who were born there and then ‘repatriated’ home following the Indonesian War of Independence. Eva has told me the story of her father’s experience. The recipe she gave me came from Beb Vuyk’s Groot Indonesisch Kookboek, and if you are interested in her story, please read more here. The only familiarity these children would have had would have been the food they grew up with.
Take a look at this inspiring recipe for ♥ Serundeng ♥ from Lavender and Lime #LavenderAndLime Share on X
Click on the links for conversions and notes.
Serundeng
Ingredients
- 30 mls warm water
- 20 g tamarind
- 1 shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
- 12 g ground coriander
- 10 g dried galangal
- 8 g ground cumin
- 8 g coconut sugar
- 7 g fine salt
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
- 1 g ground ginger
- 45 mls canola oil
- 45 g raw peanuts
- 200 g freshly grated coconut
- 4 bay leaves
- 2 lemon leaves, roughly chopped
- 1 stalk lemongrass, smashed with the back of a knife and chopped
Method
- Place the water into a small bowl, add the tamarind and set aside
- Place the shallot, coriander, galangal, cumin, coconut sugar, salt, garlic and ginger into a blender
- Press the tamarind down with a fork, then add the tamarind and the water to the blender
- Blitz until it forms a paste, then set aside
- Heat the oil in a wok over a medium to high temperature
- Add the nuts and frying, tossing all the time, until they change colour
- Remove the pan from the heat, remove the nuts from the oil, and set them aside on paper towel
- Place the wok back onto the heat, reduce the temperature, and add the shallot paste
- When the shallots are soft, and the spices are fragrant add the coconut
- Reduce the temperature to the lowest setting and mix to combine
- Using a large spoon, bring the ingredients from the middle of the pan to the outer edges, stirring the entire time they are cooking, until the coconut turns yellow
- Add the bay leaves, lemon leaves and lemongrass and cook until fragrant, and the serundeng turns light brown, stirring the entire time
- Add the peanuts, give it one last stir to combine the ingredients, then immediately turn out onto a baking tray lined with paper towel
- Allow to cool completely before placing into an airtight container for storage
- Use as needed and it will stay fresh for months if stored properly
See the links below for blog posts I published on June 23:
- 2024: The 24th Hour
- 2021: Quick And Easy
- 2017: Pouring Custard
- 2016: Fish Masala
- 2014: Whole Wheat Bread
- 2013: The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul
- 2011: Guacamole Burgers
- 2010: Lavender And Lime
What a very interesting condiment! Here am I living just south of the country and having eaten enough of its food . . . I do not even remember hearing this name. I am hardly likely to be able to make it currently but am trying to taste the flavours adding one by one to my imaginary mind . . . fresh coconut, peanuts and bay leaves together takes a little bit of imagination but sounds very interesting. I can well see it adding so much flavour to rice . . .
It is so flavoursome, and I have it on our table to add to all sorts of curries 🙂
Bet you can get all sorts of fresh coconut in Asian store. The curry looks fanfreakingtastic!
Ah, thank you so much for the compliment! We don’t have Asian stores here that sell fresh goods sadly.
How exciting to learn of a new dish! And, too perfect, because I have vegan shrimp in the freezer that I was waiting to do something truly special with. Consider this at the top of the list!
I am so looking forward to what you do with the shrimp!
This sounds incredible! I’ve never seen the word before!
It was new to me too!
I’ve never had this dish, but all of the ingredients involved are ones we love, so I’m sure it would be a hit here in my home.
Let me know if you make it!
From the list of ingredients, it sounds like it would be terrific. I only made freshly grated coconut once. It come from a coconut tree in our yard. Just getting it open was an ordeal. I used the coconut for a pie. It was delicious but I remember saying never again. 😊
I confess to buying a coconut that was already open for me, but how nice to have a coconut tree in your backyard 🙂
I’m not familiar with serundeng, Tandy, but it looks amazing! The toasted coconut and spices sound like a wonderful combination.
It was new to me too!
I am a big fan of condiments, chutneys, mustards, you name it. This intrigues me. All of the ingredients are things that I like, coconut in particular. I become a bit obsessed with coconut lately. I do think I could find all of these ingredients locally. We have quite a few international markets that carry such things.
Please let me know if you make it 🙂
You dish looks so amazing Tandy! All those spices make me want to dip the bread in the sauce to not miss anything! ~Nessa
The sauce for this curry was particularly good 🙂
oh wow i love the sound of this Tandy. all those wonderful flavours…
sherry https://sherryspickings.blogspot.com/
Thanks! We used it last night in the flatbreads I made 🙂
I’ve tried to open a fresh coconut once and it was such a disaster I haven’t tried it since. It is interesting how only lately the Dutch are looking at the history of the former colonies from the colony’s position. When I went to school, the war of independence of Indonesia was called a “police action” which I thought was strange at the time.
It is interesting to see how perspectives change! I bought a coconut already cut up for me, as like you, I also battled to open a fresh one myself 🙂
In south India, they make a similar condiment called podi, which is often enjoyed with idli. Your serundeng reminded me of it!
I will look to see what is in that 🙂
Oh my goodness this looks and sounds amazing!
Thank you Jo!