Sayur kare is a Balinese curry; my vegetarian version is loaded with veggies and tofu in a delicious spicy coconut milk and turmeric sauce.
This recipe will take around 45 minutes to go from your cupboard to your table, and that includes making the curry paste from scratch.
Sayur Kare: Vegetarian Indonesian Curry
I love me a good curry, and I have variants from all over the world on my website. Everything from Thai duck curry to Jamaican curry goat and Japanese chicken katsu curry to an Indian chole masala.
In fact, to date, I have over 120 curry recipes in the curry corner of my website!
My latest globe tripping tour across the world of "curry" is based on a dish from Bali called sayur kari.
My take on a Balinese vegetable curry rocks a boatload of easy-to-find vegetables as well as tofu in a gloriously spicy sauce that is tempered with coconut milk.
It is built on my adaptation of a curry paste called bumbu bali. It features nuts, hazelnuts rather than the traditional candlenuts, shallots, chilli, garlic and ginger.
It's relatively muted in terms of spices, using just ground coriander and turmeric, which gives the dish its striking colour and earthy flavour.
My take on this recipe skips the often-used shrimp paste to create a fantastically tasty and incredibly bold vegan curry!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different type of nut in the curry paste?
Yes, this recipe is traditionally made with candlenuts, which are tough to find in the UK.
Many recipes suggest using either almonds or cashew nuts. I prefer hazelnuts, but all of them work well.
Why do you use a mini blender and a pestle and mortar?
Convenience! Mini blenders are great at shortening the process of making the curry paste; however, they only chop the ingredients, rather than "mashing" them.
You can complete the process using one or the other. A pestle and mortar will take longer and require more elbow grease.
A mini blender will get you a good way there, but your sauce will have a bit more texture. I prefer to use both.
Can I use different vegetables?
Yes, absolutely, you can use whatever you have to hand. This is a great recipe for using up leftover veggies.
Just remember to add vegetables that take longer to cook earlier in the cooking process, and quicker cooking vegetables for the final 5 minutes.
Can I make this in advance?
It is perfectly safe to make this recipe in advance, and it will sit in the fridge for 4-5 days.
However, it is not at its best when reheated, and you will need to add a little more liquid when you reheat it.
Serving Suggestions
I've served my Balinese tofu and vegetable curry with some simply cooked Jasmine rice in the pictures on this page.
Rice is the best option as a side for this recipe. I think that plain rice is perfect because there is more than enough sauce to go around.
However, you could also opt for coconut rice or even a Chinese takeaway style egg fried rice.
Sayur kare, the dish that this curry is based on, is also often served topped with crispy fried shallots; however, I prefer fresh coriander.
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/Stovetop.
- A wok and a large lid.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
- Kitchen Knife.
- Chopping board.
- Mini blender and or pestle and mortar.
- Kettle to boil water.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
Balinese Vegetable and Tofu Curry Recipe (Sayur Kare)
Ingredients
For the Bumbu Bali Curry Paste:
- 4 Hazelnuts
- 1 Medium-Large Shallot 50g
- 6 Garlic Cloves
- 15 g Ginger ½ Thumb-Sized Piece
- 6 Red Thai Birds Eye Chilli Peppers
- ½ Stick Lemon Grass
- 4 Lime Leaves
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Neutral Cooking Oil
For the Curry:
- 2 tablespoon Neutral Cooking Oil
- 200 ml Coconut Milk ¾ Cup + 1 tablespoon
- 200 ml Vegetable Stock ¾ Cup + 1 tablespoon
- 2 Lime Leaves
- ½ Stick Lemon Grass
- 2 Medium Hot Chilli Peppers
- 3 Small Carrots 125g Total
- 200 g Small Baby Potatoes 1 Cup
- 200 g Firm Tofu 7oz
- 1 Small Courgette 150g (Zucchini)
- 100 g Runner Beans ¾-1 Cup
- Salt as Required
- Fresh Coriander to Garnish
Instructions
- Begin by making the spice paste, place the hazel nuts in a small bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover them, then set them aside whilst you prepare the remaining ingredients for the spice paste.
- Top and tail the shallot, roughly chop it and transfer it to a mini blender or pestle and mortar. I prefer to start with a mini blender and then finish off in a pestle and mortar.
- Peel the garlic cloves, roughly chop them and add them to the shallots.
- Peel the ginger, roughly chop it and add it to the blender.
- Remove the stems from the Thai chillies, roughly chop them and toss them in.
- Top and tail the stick of lemongrass, and cut it in half, removing any woody outer leaves. Roughly chop the top half and add it to the blender (we will use the bottom half later).
- Remove the stems from the lime leaves for the paste, discard them, then add the leaves to the blender.
- Drain the hazelnuts, discarding the water and add them to the mix.
- Finally, add the coriander, turmeric, salt, sugar and cooking oil. Blend to a fairly smooth paste, then transfer it to a pestle and mortar and bash it until it is completely broken down.
- Heat a wok over a medium-high heat, add the oil, followed by the curry paste and stir for 2-3 minutes.
- Pour in the coconut milk and the vegetable stock and cook until the oils start to split. This will take 3-5 minutes.
- Whilst the curry sauce is cooking, slice the medium hot chilli peppers into fairly thin rounds.
- Cut the small carrots into 1cm (just under ½") lengths.
- Bash the remaining half of the lemongrass with the back of a knife to bruise it a little.
- Add the chilli peppers, carrots, baby potatoes, lemongrass, and lime leaves for the curry to the sauce, bring everything to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, add a lid, and cook until the potatoes are tender. This will take around 15-18 minutes. Now is a good time to taste the sauce and add salt if necessary.
- Whilst the potatoes are cooking, cut the tofu into a 2cm (¾") dice and dry it on some kitchen paper.
- Cut the courgette into 1cm (just under ½") thick rounds.
- Top and tail the runner beans and then cut them into 2cm (¾") lengths at a 45° angle to the bean.
- Once the potatoes are tender, add the tofu, courgette, and runner beans to the wok and cook for a final 5 minutes.
- Serve with a rice side dish of your choice and fresh coriander.