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Loading...This classic Javanese stew from Yogyakarta turns young unripe jackfruit into a fragrant, melt-in-your-mouth dish simmered slowly in coconut milk and palm sugar. Aromatic spices, salam leaves, and a hint of teak-leaf color give it the iconic deep mahogany hue and complex sweet-savory flavor that defines gudeg. Serve over steamed rice with hard-boiled eggs and crispy sambal for an authentic experience.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time90 mins
Total Time110 mins
Servings6
Yield6 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 385 kcalCalories
- 18 gFat
- 13 gSaturated Fat
- 52 gCarbs
- 4 gFiber
- 32 gSugar
- 6 gProtein
- 420 mgSodium
- 610 mgPotassium
- 75 mgCalcium
- 2.2 mgIron
- 9 mgVitamin C
- 35 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the jackfruit & simmer
- 1 kg young green jackfruit (or 2 cans young jackfruit in brine, rinsed and drained)
- 400 ml full-fat coconut milk
- 200 ml water
- 150 g Indonesian palm sugar (gula jawa), chopped
- 2 salam (Indonesian bay) leaves
- 3 fresh or dried teak leaves, optional for color
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
For the spice paste (bumbu)
- 6 shallots, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 candlenuts (or macadamia nuts)
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp white peppercorns
- 1-inch piece galangal, sliced
- 2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, sliced
To finish & serve
- 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
- Steamed jasmine rice, for serving
- Crispy fried shallots, for garnish
- Fresh sambal or chili paste, on the side
Directions
- If using fresh jackfruit, peel and cut the flesh into 3 cm chunks, then boil in salted water for 15 minutes to remove raw sap; drain well. If using canned, simply rinse and drain thoroughly.
- Toast the coriander seeds and white peppercorns in a dry pan over medium heat for 1 minute until fragrant, then combine with shallots, garlic, candlenuts, galangal, and lemongrass in a blender. Add 3 tablespoons of water and blend to a smooth paste.
- Heat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and cook the spice paste for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until it darkens and smells deeply aromatic. Add a splash of water if it sticks.
- Stir in the palm sugar and let it melt into the paste for 2 minutes, then add the coconut milk, water, salam leaves, teak leaves, and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add the jackfruit pieces, stirring to coat them in the spiced coconut sauce. Cover partially and simmer on low heat for 60 to 75 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until the jackfruit is very tender and the sauce has reduced to a thick, glossy, mahogany-brown glaze.
- Gently nestle the peeled hard-boiled eggs into the stew during the last 20 minutes of cooking so they absorb the sweet-spiced flavor.
- Remove the salam and teak leaves and taste for seasoning, adjusting salt or palm sugar as needed. The stew should be predominantly sweet with a savory backdrop.
- Spoon the gudeg over warm steamed jasmine rice, top with crispy fried shallots, and serve with sambal on the side for guests who want heat.
Cook’s Notes
- Young green jackfruit in brine is sold at most Asian supermarkets and works beautifully; rinse well to remove the briny taste before cooking.
- Teak leaves (daun jati) are traditional and give gudeg its signature reddish-brown hue, but they are optional if unavailable.
- Palm sugar can be substituted with dark muscovado sugar plus 1 teaspoon of molasses for a similar caramel depth.
- Gudeg tastes even better the next day once the flavors have melded, so consider making it a day ahead and reheating gently.
- For a complete Javanese plate, serve with krecek (spicy cow-skin stew) and a small portion of sambal krecek on the side.
