Serundeng

Serundeng is an Indonesian spicy fried coconut flakes, which is made from sautéing grated coconut, and is often used as a side dish to accompany rice.

Ingredients

Grated coconut flesh formed the essential part of serundeng. Freshly shredded coconut, instead of grated coconut leftover from making coconut milk, gives a richer taste. To make a serundeng, spices and seasonings like onions, chili peppers, garlic, onion, coriander, turmeric, sugar, tamarind, bay leaves (daun salam), lime leaves (daun jeruk purut), and galangal are ground to a paste and fried. Then, grated coconut is sauteed (fried with minimal or without oil) until golden brown, and mixed with the seasoning paste. Roasted peanuts might be added for additional crunchy texture and taste.

Variations

Serundeng can be mixed with meat in dishes such as serundeng daging (beef serundeng), sprinkled on top of other dishes such as soto soup or covering all over ketan (sticky rice).

In Indonesia, beef serundeng usually tastes rather sweet because of the generous addition of coconut sugar, and it is commonly associated with Javanese cuisine. Serundeng fried coconut flakes as sprinkled dry condiment is also found in Betawi cuisine of Jakarta, and Makassar cuisine of South Sulawesi, usually applied upon soto, ketan, or burasa (rice in banana leaf cooked in coconut milk).