Maya Sari
During my stay in Indonesia, I tried most of their famous traditional dishes. From the aromatic savoury cuisine to the mouthwatering desserts, I fell in love with the rich Indonesian flavours!
But one dish that became my favourite was Jackfruit Stew – Gudeg Jogja.
Just like its name, it has a unique taste too. It is a perfect combination of savoury and sweet.
When I came back from Indonesia, I tried multiple times to make the dish but failed to replicate the perfectly balanced flavours.
That’s when my Indonesian grandmother came to the rescue!
She taught me the best homemade recipe for Gudeg Jogja, and today I will be sharing that authentic recipe with you!
Change the daily flavours of your dining table and get ready to take over Indonesian cuisine!
HISTORY OF GUDEG JOGJA
You might be thinking that Indonesian dishes usually have hot and spicy flavours.
Then where did this sweet dish come from the traditional Indonesian cuisine?
Well, I did some research on it and found the answer!
The main ingredient of the dish is Gudeg.
Gudeg is made from young unripe jack fruit stewed for several hours with palm sugar, and coconut milk and then flavored with different spices. It is one of the specialties of Indonesia, well-known for its deliciousness.
If you ever visit Indonesia, you will find it mostly in the provinces of Yogyakarta and Central Java. Due to its worldwide fame, Yogyakarta is now known as Kota Gudeg.
In the 1500s, the construction of the Islamic Mataram Kingdom started in the area of Kotagede on the Mentaok pedestal. This eventually led to the beginning of the history of gudeg in Yogyakarta.
The interesting aspect of its history is that it does not come from a kingdom. Rather, it comes from the community! In the 1940s, Gudeg became highly popular and was widely traded.
More Recipe Like This
HOW DOES GUDEG TASTE?
Gudeg Jogja has a unique taste. If you are trying it for the first time, you are in for a surprise!
When I tried it for the first time, I was amazed by its subtly sweet flavour considering I had heard it has many ground spices and was expecting a savoury dish.
I remember my young niece called it more of a ‘banana, apple, and mango’ dish.
If you taste it for the first time, you might also have the same reaction. Nonetheless, there is one thing I can guarantee; the more you eat it, the more you will love the unique flavour of Gudeg Jogja!
WHERE TO BUY JACKFRUIT?
You can usually buy fresh young jackfruit from the local Asian supermarket. However, you can also use canned jackfruit, which is much easier to find.
People like me, who do not live near an Asian market, seldom have the chance to find fresh Jackfruit. So, if you are worried about using canned Jackfruit, don’t be!
I have used canned jackfruit quite a lot while making this dish and let me let you in on a secret: Neither does it affect the original taste nor have any other smell! So don’t let that canned jackfruit stop you from making Gudeg Jogja.
However, if you get your hands on the fresh young jackfruit, I highly recommend making Gudeg Jogja with it!
HOW TO PREPARE FRESH YOUNG JACKFRUIT?
The best way to prepare your Jackfruit for Gudeg Jogja is as follows:
- Oil your knife first and keep oiling it to prevent the sticky sap from sticking to your knife.
- Only use the fleshy part of the fruit and remove the green part from the rind.
- Dump the tough center just like you get rid of the pineapple core.
- Cut the Jackfruit into bite-size pieces.
- Put them into boiling water until they tender.
The Jackfruit is ready to use. You can also keep it in the freezer in a safe zip-lock bag or air-tight container if you plan to use it later.
Now, let’s jump right into the recipe!
Gudeg Jogja (Savoury and Sweet!)
Ingredients
- 2 Cans of Green Jackfruit in Brine
- 6 eggs
- 500 ml water
- 200 ml coconut milk
- 2 black tea
- 1/2 tbsp palm sugar / brown sugar, more if desired.
- 1 cube chicken stock
- 1/2 tsp white sugar
- 2 tsp salt, more if desired.
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1 tsp white paper
- 1 Inch galangal
Ground Spices
- 5 Cloves garlic
- 1/2 Shallot
- 1 tbsp Coriander seed
- 3 cundlenut
Instructions
- Prepare the pot and then add water, boiled eggs and green Jackfruit.
- Cover the pot and let it boil for a couple of minutes.
- Add the ground spices, bay leaves, galangal, and tea bag. Cook all the ingredients while stirring occasionally until half the liquid remains in the pot.
- Add coconut milk and let it boil for a minute. Cover the pot and cook all ingredients over low heat until the sauce is dry and the spices completely absorb.
- Turn off the stove.
- Transfer the jackfruit stew to a serving plate and serve the sweet and savoury young Jackfruit (gudeg) with steamed rice. Enjoy!
CONCLUSION
Wear your aprons and prepare your pots, because you also are about to fall in love with Gudeg Jogja!
This dish will become a family and friend favourite once they try it!
I recommend preparing this dish a day before you plan to serve it as it could take about 2-3 hours to make.
However, trust me when I say all that hard work cooking it will pay off when all your family and friends won’t be able to stop praising your cooking.
Get ready to indulge in this sweet yet savoury Indonesian dish!
It is a perfect dish to prepare for any occasion. Happy cooking!
[…] HOW TO MAKE OPOR AYAM [CHICKEN IN COCONUT MILK]SOTO BETAWI: JAKARTA’S SOUP OF SECRETS AND SPICEHOW TO COOK GUDEG JOGJA? EASY JACKFRUIT RECIPE […]