Crunchy, golden, and bursting with flavor, serundeng might just be your new secret weapon in the kitchen. At first glance, it looks like simple toasted coconut, but don’t be fooled. This Indonesian classic is coconut taken to the next level: sautéed with aromatic spices, kissed with sweetness, and carrying just the right amount of heat. Sprinkle it over rice, fried chicken, noodles, or honestly, just eat it by the handful, we won’t judge.
But serundeng isn’t just tasty, it’s a dish with a story. It was born in Indonesian kitchens as a way to preserve coconut before refrigerators were a thing. Over time, it evolved into a beloved condiment across the archipelago, each region giving it its own twist. In Java, it leans sweet with palm sugar. In Sumatra, the chilies come out to play. And in Bali, turmeric and galangal give it a warm, golden glow. When the Dutch-Indo rijsttafel made its way to Europe, serundeng tagged along, quickly becoming a favorite sprinkle for expats craving a taste of home.
Because really, once you’ve had rice with serundeng, plain rice just feels naked.
This recipe is brought to you by the Founder and Chef of Studio Bumi, Bagus, himself.
Listen to the podcast conversation with Bumi, HERE
Ingredients
For the Coconut
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2 cups fresh grated coconut (or unsweetened flaked coconut, hydrated by steaming/boiling 6–8 minutes)
For the Spice Paste
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10 red chilies (bird’s eye for heat, or milder chilies if preferred)
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3 whole shallots
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10 cloves garlic
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3 segments galangal (sliced or lightly smashed)
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20 pieces dried shrimp
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1 tsp salt
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½ tsp ground white pepper
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1 tsp ground coriander
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1 tsp chicken bouillon powder (optional)
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½ tsp MSG (optional, enhances umami)
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3 – 4 tbsp palm sugar (adjust to taste)
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Splash of water (to help blend into a paste)
Instructions
Prepare the Coconut
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If you use fresh coconut meat, just grate them. Otherwise, if flaked coconut is the one to go with, steam/throw them into boiling water for 6-8 mins until hydrated and soft
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Set aside to cool slightly, remove most of the water, but keep some!
Make the Spice Paste
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In blender or food processor, combine 10 red chilies (I use bird’s eye chilies!), 3 whole shallots, 10 garlic, 3 segments galangal, about 20 pcs dried shrimp, salt, white pepper, coriander, chicken bouillon, MSG and lost of palm sugar. you can play around with the flavors once they’re in the wok later, so this is an invitation to wing it as well!
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add splashes water just to liquify them
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Blend into a smooth wet paste
Cook the Serundeng
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In a large pan or wok over very low heat, combine steamed coconut with spice paste
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Stir continuously to prevent burning, taste! sometimes i’d add more palm sugar here, the goal is for the serundeng to taste umami, sweet, mildly spicy, savory (not just salty)!
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Cook slowly until the mixture is dry, flaky, and evenly coated with spices
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Cool completely
