Urap - Indonesian Vegetable Salad

Ingredients

• 200g (7 oz) green beans, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces 200g (7 oz) green beans, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 200g (7 oz) bean sprouts 200g (7 oz) bean sprouts
• 200g (7 oz) cabbage, thinly sliced 200g (7 oz) cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 cup freshly grated coconut 1 cup freshly grated coconut
• 2 shallots, finely chopped 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 tablespoons tamarind juice 2 tablespoons tamarind juice
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Salt to taste Salt to taste

Nutrition

• Calories (kcal / KJ): 180 kcal / 753 KJ
• Fat (total, saturated): 10g, 8g
• Carbohydrates (total, sugars): 20g, 8g
• Protein: 4g
• Fiber: 6g
• Salt: 0.5g

Preparation

1. 1.
   Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the green beans for 2 minutes. Remove them from the water and transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside.
2. 2.
   In the same pot of boiling water, blanch the bean sprouts for 1 minute. Transfer them to the ice water, drain, and set aside.
3. 3.
   Heat the vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic, and sauté until fragrant and golden brown.
4. 4.
   Add the grated coconut and turmeric powder to the pan. Stir-fry for a few minutes until the coconut turns slightly golden.
5. 5.
   Remove the pan from heat and let the coconut mixture cool down.
6. 6.
   In a large mixing bowl, combine the blanched vegetables and the coconut mixture.
7. 7.
   Add tamarind juice and salt to taste. Toss everything together until well coated.
8. 8.
   Serve the urap salad at room temperature or chilled.

Treat your ingredients with care...

• Coconut — Use freshly grated coconut for the best flavor and texture. If fresh coconut is not available, you can use unsweetened desiccated coconut as a substitute.

Tips & Tricks

• To enhance the flavor, you can add a squeeze of lime juice or a sprinkle of fried shallots on top of the urap salad before serving.
• Feel free to customize the vegetables according to your preference. You can add blanched spinach, grated carrots, or even thinly sliced bell peppers to the salad.
• For a spicier kick, you can add a small amount of finely chopped chili peppers to the coconut dressing.

Serving advice

Urap is best served as a side dish alongside Indonesian main courses such as Nasi Goreng (Indonesian fried rice) or Rendang (spicy beef stew). It can also be enjoyed as a light and refreshing appetizer.

Presentation advice

To make the urap salad visually appealing, arrange the blanched vegetables on a serving platter and drizzle the coconut dressing over them. Garnish with fresh herbs like cilantro or mint leaves for an added pop of color.