Gudeg

Gudeg (Sweet Jackfruit Stew) from Yogyakarta

A classic Javanese dish of young jackfruit slowly simmered in coconut milk and palm sugar until it turns a deep caramel brown, with a gentle sweetness balanced by savoury chicken and egg. Serve with steamed rice and sambal for an authentic Central Java experience.

Prep

30 min

Cook

180 min

Total

210 min

Serves

4-6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) young green jackfruit, fresh, peeled and cut into 5 cm chunks; or 2 cans (400 g each) in brine, drained and rinsed
• •500 ml (2 cups) thick coconut milk, from about 2 coconuts, or use canned (not light)
• •200 g (7 oz) palm sugar (gula jawa), grated or finely chopped; substitute dark brown sugar if unavailable
• •5 cm (2 in) galangal, bruised; substitute 1 tbsp ginger if needed
• •4 stalks lemongrass, bruised and tied in a knot
• •5 leaves kaffir lime leaves, optional but recommended
• •2 leaves teak leaves, if unavailable, use 2 bay leaves and add 1 tsp dark soy sauce for colour
• •1.2 kg (2 lb 10 oz) whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces, skin on
• •4 eggs hard-boiled eggs, peeled
• •1 tbsp tamarind paste, dissolved in 3 tbsp water
• •1 tsp salt, or to taste

Steps

1. 1 If using fresh jackfruit, rub hands and knife with oil to prevent stickiness. Peel the young green jackfruit, remove the core, and cut into 5 cm chunks. If using canned jackfruit, simply drain and rinse; pat dry.
2. 2 In a large heavy-bottomed pot (at least 5 litres / 5 quarts), combine the jackfruit, coconut milk, palm sugar, galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and teak leaves (or bay leaves + soy sauce). Add the chicken pieces. Stir well to coat everything.
3. 3 Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to the lowest possible setting. Cover and simmer very slowly for 2 hours, stirring every 20–30 minutes to prevent the coconut milk from splitting or sticking to the bottom.
4. 4 After 2 hours, add the hard-boiled eggs and the tamarind water. Stir gently, then continue to simmer uncovered for another 1 hour, or until the jackfruit is very tender and the sauce has reduced to a thick, dark caramel-brown glaze. The chicken should be fully cooked; check that the internal temperature reaches 75°C (165°F) at the thickest part.
5. 5 Taste and season with salt. The gudeg should be sweet, slightly tangy from the tamarind, and rich with coconut. If the sauce is too thin, simmer a little longer; if too thick, add a splash of water.
6. 6 Remove the galangal, lemongrass, and leaves. Serve hot with steamed rice, sambal (chilli paste), and extra fried shallots if desired.