In this Indonesian vegetable dish, fresh spinach wilts briefly in a gentle coconut broth with shallot, garlic and the fresh, aromatic flavor of kencur. Serve it as a side dish with rice and something spicy.
Sayur bobor bayam is an Indonesian way of preparing spinach in a spiced broth with coconut milk. The flavor is mild and fragrant: coconut gives the broth a rounded taste, while shallot, garlic and kencur add a savory, lightly citrusy aroma. The broth should stay light and fluid, rather than becoming as thick as a curry. That makes the dish a good match for rice and a spicier side, without overpowering the other flavors.
It’s different from sayur bening, the clear Indonesian spinach soup. Bening means clear; that soup is usually made without coconut milk, so it has a lighter broth. Coconut milk is what characterizes bobor. This version keeps the vegetables simple, using only spinach, so the tender leaves and fragrant broth take center stage. You can add a little more water if you want a lighter sauce, but don’t add so much that the coconut is barely noticeable.
Kencur, also known as kentjoer or aromatic ginger, has a distinctive aroma that isn’t quite the same as regular ginger. Fresh kencur is often available at Indonesian or Asian grocery stores; peel a small piece and finely grate it. If you can’t find it, you can use a smaller amount of galangal. That gives a different aroma, so think of it as a practical substitute, not an identical flavor. Canned coconut milk works well; stir it until smooth first if the fat and liquid have separated.
The shallot, garlic and spices are briefly heated before the coconut milk is added. This lets their aromas infuse the broth. Then warm it gently: boiling vigorously can make the coconut milk split and the sauce less smooth. Spinach needs very little cooking time. Add the leaves at the end and toss them in the hot broth until just wilted. This keeps them distinct and helps them retain more color than if they simmered for a long time.
Serve the bobor warm with white rice, for example alongside fried tempeh, sambal or another spicy Indonesian dish. Taste for salt just before serving; a little sugar rounds out the coconut flavor, but shouldn’t make the dish sweet. Once cooled, leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator and reheated thoroughly within two days. The spinach will soften and lose some of its bright green color when reheated, so the dish is at its best right after it’s made.
Finely chop the shallots and garlic.
In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the coconut milk over low to medium heat. Add the shallot, garlic, kencur and ground coriander and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant but not browned.
Pour the remaining coconut milk and the water into the pan. Add the salam leaf, salt and sugar and stir. Heat gently until the broth is just about to boil; don’t let it boil vigorously. Let it simmer gently for 5 minutes.
Taste the broth and add a little more salt if needed. Add the spinach in batches and toss until the leaves have just wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and serve warm.
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