Coconut & Sambal: Recipes from my Indonesian Kitchen (2024)

I thought this cookbook was well written and well photographed. I learned so much about the Indonesian culture, the traditional ways of preparing meals, and the foods that are eaten. I’m excited to give many of the recipes a try; she provides many alternatives to her recipes, such as vegetarian or vegan options. I will probably add this one to my cookbook shelf!

Enjoyed reading this cookbook and the recipes! Soto ayam will be a staple this winter!

This book is reeeeally good...I love Indonesian food but I’ve only eaten it in restaurants, so it was super fun to try it at home. I made the whole roast chili coconut chicken with crispy soy ginger potatoes. The chicken was tasty but the potatoes were the true stars...yum. Have the congee, nasi goreng, and some of the desserts bookmarked too. If I had more space for books I’d definitely consider purchasing!

Oh, only one possible problem: only metric measurements so I did have to do some conversions, but not a huge deal.

I am desperate to find some real Indo food, but I fear it is close to impossible to replicate the street food from the kaki limas and the meals I would grab from the warungs here in the US. I grabbed this book- in the hopes I could break some codes, but the book seemed too tidy to make it happen.
The author is Australian- her father is Indonesian, but she didn't go to Indo until she was an adult. I was already a bit concerned. I wanted a book written by an Ibu who grew up helping in the kitchen, bartering at the pasars and tasting midnight martabak on her way home from temple. This was not the case. While the author explored the country and took notes- and found an Indonesian woman in London to help her discover recipes....she was definitely a bule. Not what I was looking for- and I am a tad disappointed. I was also surprised by some of the generalizations she made while explaining the cuisine of the country....and suspicious that she didn't really get to know the food. No mention that the Balinese (Hindu) don't eat beef...to start. The sambal mata looks nothing like what you would find there (though it has a lot of the ingredients).... I will definitely make a couple of her recipes, but this food is more "inspired by"....and I hate to say it....but a lot of the ingredients will be hard to find here because this is the US- or her "adaptations" make me...side eye her taste buds. I am not sure it is possible to make a real Indo cookbook- this is a country of over 13,000 islands. Each island has its own style/cuisine....delicacies- and a lot of the ingredients cannot be found anywhere else....but I will continue to hope....and save so that I can return to Indo for nasi kuning, nasi campur, ayam betutu, bubur ayam....etc.

Read if you would like to see how this part of the world's cuisine is different from your own....

Lara Lee has made a cookbook that acts as a culture guide that doesn't cut corners. It still manages to be accessible, diverse, and approachable by choosing recipes that have a good overlap with the "global kitchen". If you are looking to put new flavors into your life and love spice make sure and pick this up. My menu for this cookbook
app Martabak pg 37
soup Modenese Prawn Bisque pg 63 salad Balinese Coconut Lawar pg 94 Balinese Sticky Glazed Pork Ribs pg 176 Sticky ginger toffee pudding pg 237" -- Hanz

This was such a lovely book to read. Full of great recipes and interesting information. I ate lots of Indonesian and Indo-Dutch food when I lived in the Netherlands but I haven’t found an Indonesian restaurant since moving back to the states. Now I have some solid recipes for making my own.
Something I also liked about this book is for many of the meat based dishes she offers up a vegetarian or vegan alternative. And the alternatives are good alternatives not just slap-dashed options. Genuinely recommend. And the cover is beautiful. Will look good on a book shelf too.

This book hits the spot. Without much background knowledge, this book does a great job highlighting the most important qualities of Indonesian food (of which there is still much more diversity) which is highlighted through its recipes. I think approaching this book & recipes requires good planning, especially if you're not familiar with sourcing ingredients, but wow I'm just blown away with the flavors.

My only main gripe is that sometimes instructions are unclear, but they don't really affect the end result.

I know I love a book when 1. it has oil and water marks all over it, and 2. I only open it to make new recipes because I know the others I have been making off my heart.
I had never ventured to Indonesian food before this book, but I am so glad I did and I am. So flavoursome, interesting and comforting- the story is in the samba, the mix and balance of spices and herbs. I love this book and I can't want to see what Lara Lee does next.

One of my favorite cookbooks from this year. With a wide range of dishes from the simplest coconut rice to the most delicious roasted chili chicken and nasi goreng. A wonderful introduction to Indonsesian cuisine and some great sides if you’re looking for some great flavors for the holiday season. Complete with pantry overviews and a wide range of sample menus - this is an absolute gem!

It’s a book that tells the story of the food, both through memories and evocative explanations, as it introduces us to the flavours and feel of the Indonesian kitchen, and explains not only how to cook the food, but how to eat it. It’s impossible to read it without being both inspired and very hungry!
Nigella Lawson

I read this as an ebook and the formatting seemed odd to me with little white space and recipes running from one directly into the next. The recipes seem straightforward, although some of the ingredients will require effort to track down, especially the chillies, since in the US, green chilies seem more available in produce sections.

My go-to book when I'm craving for a taste of home. Curing my homesickness since I bought this book. Such a heart-warming background intro too, as an immigrant I can relate to it in a different context. Truly amazing how food can tell you a lot of stories. Makes me want to hug my long distance loved ones!

All the dishes I made out of this cookbook (Babi Guling, Chili Coconut Chicken, Balinese Roast Chicken) have been great so far. So flavorful and easy to put together, easy enough for regular weeknight dinners. Looking forward to cooking my way through the rest of the cookbook.

Gorgeously photographed, well written, with a ton of insights into the beautiful food and culture of Indonesia. This book is also quite practical. Haven't made any of the recipes yet but they are accessible and sound like things that would be doable for a home cook.

Everything about this guide is a home cook friendly treatment of a vast array of cuisines in Indonesia. The author’s journey’s and lessons shared with the reader are heartwarming and concise. A terrific read even for a cook experienced in Indonesian delights.

FYI for US market - UK publishing only so no adjustments made for terminology.

This was so good, I've only made a couple of the recipes - but the Timorese Fish Soup is so good.

Wonderful photos enhance this Indonesian cookbook. I made the vegetable fried noodles and it was very tasty and something I will add to my cooking rotation.

Beautiful cookbook featuring a variety of recipes from Indonesia! Gorgeous photography, fresh ingredients, and delicious recipes!

such a beautiful book of recipes - although one of those cook books that inspires me to get on a plane more than in the kitchen

Amazing cookbook! I have made a couple of recipes and they turned out wonderfully. Probably the highest ratio of recipes to things I bookmark that I have ever experienced with a cookbook.

Simply one of the best cookbooks that I've read in my entire life. Brilliant and beautiful pictures, astonishing book design, and authentic Indonesian recipes.

5/5

Lots of amazing vegetarian recipes!

Indonesian cooking encompasses so many cultures and flavors it is hard to find definitive foods and recipes but this book does a pretty good job. Has a large section on sauces which is appreciated.

Brb, soto ayam seems good rn 🤤

Reading this book felt like I took a trip to the edge of the world and found welcoming, hospitable, people there with amazingly, delicious food.

Another one of the triumvirate of Indonesian cookbooks that have just floored me with their recipes, presentations, and stories. I have only begun to make some of the foods of this cookbook and my family is clamoring for more.

I now own this book to complement “Fire Islands” and “Paon” in brining Indonesian cuisine to my home.

Beautiful photos; compelling writing; straightforward recipes