Large chunks of potato simmer in kecap manis with garlic, shallot, nutmeg and cloves until tender and the sauce is dark and glossy. Serve this Indonesian semur with rice and fresh cucumber.
Semur is an Indonesian style of stew in which kecap manis plays an important role. The sweet, rich soy sauce gives the sauce its dark colour and adds savoury depth. In this potato version, the potato takes centre stage: generous chunks soak up flavour as they simmer but remain distinct on the plate. Garlic and shallot create the aromatic base; nutmeg and cloves add warmth without making the dish hot or heavily spiced. The result is a sweet-savoury balance, with cucumber as a refreshing counterpoint.
Choose waxy potatoes, such as Nicola or Charlotte, so the chunks hold their shape as they cook. Cut them to roughly the same size, ideally into 4 to 5 cm pieces: smaller cubes cook sooner and can turn mushy before the sauce has reduced. Peeling gives them a smooth, even texture, but young potatoes can also go into the pan unpeeled after a good scrub. Briefly rinse cut potatoes if they feel very starchy, and pat them dry before adding them.
Let the potatoes cook gently in the sauce. A wide pan with a lid gives the pieces enough room and helps them soften evenly. Keep the heat low enough for a gentle simmer; at a hard boil, the kecap can stick to the bottom while the inside of the potatoes is still firm. Remove the lid towards the end of the cooking time so excess liquid can evaporate and the sauce can cling to the potatoes. Cloves are potent: three whole cloves give a distinct but balanced aroma. Remove them from the pan before serving.
Kecap manis is not the same as regular soy sauce: it is thicker and sweeter, and forms the base of the sauce here. So use kecap manis if possible. If it is unavailable, you can mix regular soy sauce with a little brown sugar, but add it gradually and taste as you go; the flavour will be less rich and the sauce may stay thinner. The amount of salt you need also depends on the kecap you use, so taste before adding extra salt.
Serve the semur with steamed white rice and thin slices of raw cucumber. The neutral rice soaks up the sauce, while the crisp cucumber refreshes the sweet, spiced flavours. Cool leftovers promptly after eating, cover and refrigerate, and use within two days. Reheat the potatoes in a pan with a splash of water until piping hot throughout; stir gently to keep the pieces intact.
Rinse the rice until the water is mostly clear. Cook the rice according to the package instructions and keep warm.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into pieces about 4 to 5 cm in size. Finely chop the shallots and garlic.
Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based pan over medium-high heat. Cook the shallot for 3 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic, cloves and nutmeg and cook for 30 seconds.
Stir the potatoes into the shallot mixture. Add the kecap manis, water and salt and bring gently to a boil.
Turn the heat to low, cover the pan and simmer gently for 25 to 35 minutes. Carefully stir halfway through. The potatoes are cooked when a knife slides into them easily.
Remove the lid and, if needed, simmer gently for another 5 to 10 minutes until the sauce is glossy and clings to the potatoes. Taste and add extra salt only if needed. Remove the cloves.
Cut the cucumber into thin slices. Serve the semur with the rice and raw cucumber.
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