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Asinan Sayur Recipe: Indonesian Tamarind Peanut Salad

ByLumina Liu August 15, 2025

You know the type: iceberg lettuce drowning in ranch dressing, maybe a sad cherry tomato thrown in for color.

The kind of salad that makes you wonder why you’re bothering when there’s perfectly good pizza in the world.

But then I discovered Asinan Sayur, and suddenly everything changed.

It happened during a particularly humid summer afternoon when my friend Maya dragged me to a tiny Indonesian warung tucked between a laundromat and a phone repair shop.

“Trust me,” she said, which is exactly what people say right before they make you eat something that will either change your life or send you running for the hills.

The place was barely bigger than my kitchen, with plastic stools and fluorescent lighting that made everyone look slightly green.

Not exactly the kind of place that screams “life-changing culinary experience.”

But then this bowl arrived.

This glorious, chaotic, absolutely beautiful bowl of what looked like the most interesting salad I’d ever seen.

Crisp vegetables piled high, crushed peanuts scattered like confetti, and a dressing that smelled like sunshine and adventure had a baby.

One bite, and I was done for.

The crunch, the tang, the way the tamarind made my mouth pucker in the best possible way — it was like someone had taken everything I thought I knew about salads and thrown it out the window, then handed me something infinitely better.

Fresh Indonesian Asinan Sayur Recipe: The Ultimate Tamarind Peanut Salad

Asinan Sayur isn’t just any salad — it’s Indonesia’s answer to the question “How do you make vegetables so irresistible that people actually crave them?”

The name literally translates to “pickled vegetables,” but don’t let that fool you into thinking this is some sad jar of soggy cucumbers your grandmother kept in the back of the fridge.

This Asinan Sayur (Indonesian salad with peanuts and tamarind) recipe represents street food at its finest — the kind of dish that vendors have been perfecting for generations, balancing sweet, sour, salty, and spicy in ways that would make your taste buds write thank-you notes.

It’s part of Indonesia’s incredible tradition of rujak and asinan dishes, which are basically the country’s way of proving that vegetables can be just as exciting as any other food group.

What sets this particular version apart is the genius combination of textures and flavors.

You’ve got the satisfying crunch of fresh vegetables — napa cabbage, bean sprouts, carrots, lettuce, and cucumber — all playing together like the world’s most delicious orchestra.

Then there’s the dressing, which is where the magic really happens: tamarind concentrate brings that mouth-puckering sourness, palm sugar adds sweetness, lime juice provides brightness, and ginger and garlic bring the heat.

Top it all off with crushed peanuts for richness and fried shallots for that extra layer of flavor, and you’ve got something that’s way more than the sum of its parts.

Gathering Your Ingredients: A Shopping Adventure

Before we dive into making this Asinan Sayur (Indonesian salad with peanuts and tamarind) recipe, let’s talk about ingredients.

The good news is that most of what you need is probably available at your regular grocery store, though you might need to venture to an Asian market for a few special items — and honestly, that’s half the fun.

The Vegetable Brigade

For the vegetables, you’ll want 2 cups of shredded napa cabbage (also called Chinese cabbage), 2 cups of bean sprouts, 1 cup of julienned carrots, 2 cups of lettuce (butter lettuce or Boston Bibb work beautifully), and 1 cup of diced cucumber.

The key here is variety in both texture and color — you want this salad to look as gorgeous as it tastes.

The Flavor Powerhouses

The dressing is where things get interesting.

You’ll need 2 tablespoons of tamarind concentrate (not paste — there’s a difference, and I learned this the hard way), 4 teaspoons of lime juice, 2 tablespoons of palm sugar, 1 teaspoon of grated ginger, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon of tamari, and ¼ cup of water.

For heat, grab 2 bird’s eye chilies — or adjust to your spice tolerance, because these little guys pack a punch.

The Finishing Touches

For garnish, you’ll want ⅔ cup of crushed unsalted dry roasted peanuts, ¼ cup of crushed salted peanuts, ¼ cup of fried shallots, ⅓ cup of noodle crackers, and fresh cilantro leaves.

Trust me, these aren’t just pretty additions — they’re what transform a good salad into an unforgettable one.

Step-by-Step: Making Your Asinan Sayur

Making this Asinan Sayur (Indonesian salad with peanuts and tamarind) recipe is surprisingly straightforward, but there are a few tricks that’ll make the difference between good and absolutely spectacular.

Prepping Your Vegetables Like a Pro

Start by washing all your vegetables thoroughly — and I mean really thoroughly.

There’s nothing that’ll ruin a beautiful salad faster than gritty lettuce or sandy bean sprouts.

For the napa cabbage, remove any tough outer leaves and shred it into bite-sized pieces.

I like to cut it into roughly ½-inch strips — big enough to provide good crunch, but not so big that you’re wrestling with your fork.

The bean sprouts need a good rinse and should be patted dry.

If you’re feeling fancy (or if you have the time), you can remove the little brown ends, but honestly, life’s too short unless you’re trying to impress someone very special.

For the carrots, julienne them into matchstick-sized pieces — a vegetable peeler actually works great for this if you don’t have knife skills that would make a chef weep with joy.

Tear your lettuce by hand rather than cutting it with a knife.

I know it sounds fussy, but cutting lettuce with metal can make it brown faster, and hand-tearing gives you more interesting, natural shapes.

Plus, there’s something deeply satisfying about tearing lettuce with your hands — very therapeutic after a long day.

The Magic of Salt Massage

Here’s where we get a little handsy with our vegetables.

Add the crushed roasted peanuts and minced chilies to your vegetable bowl, then sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt.

Now comes the fun part: massage everything together with your hands.

This isn’t just for show — the salt helps break down the cell walls slightly, making the vegetables more tender while still maintaining their crunch.

It also helps them absorb the dressing better.

Massage for about 30 seconds, until the vegetables start to glisten slightly.

You’ll notice they become a bit more pliable but still maintain their structure.

This technique is common in many Asian salads and makes such a difference in the final texture.

Creating the Perfect Dressing

The dressing is the soul of this dish, so let’s treat it with the respect it deserves.

In a separate bowl, combine the lime juice, tamarind concentrate, palm sugar, grated ginger, minced garlic, tamari, and water.

Use a fork or small whisk to mix everything together, paying special attention to dissolving the palm sugar completely.

The tamarind concentrate is what gives this salad its distinctive tangy flavor — it’s sour but in a complex, fruity way that’s completely different from vinegar.

If you can’t find tamarind concentrate, you can substitute with tamarind paste mixed with a little water, but the concentrate gives a cleaner, more intense flavor.

Palm sugar adds a subtle caramel sweetness that regular sugar just can’t match.

If you can’t find it, coconut sugar is your next best bet, followed by brown sugar.

White sugar will work in a pinch, but you’ll lose some of that complex sweetness that makes this dressing special.

Bringing It All Together

Pour the dressing over your massaged vegetables and toss gently but thoroughly.

You want every piece coated, but you don’t want to bruise the delicate lettuce leaves.

Use your hands or salad tongs — whatever feels comfortable.

The final step is the garnish, and this is where you can really make the dish shine.

Sprinkle the crushed salted peanuts over the top, add the fried shallots (which provide an amazing umami crunch), scatter the noodle crackers for extra texture, and finish with fresh cilantro leaves.

Tips, Tricks, and Troubleshooting

After making this Asinan Sayur (Indonesian salad with peanuts and tamarind) recipe more times than I can count, I’ve learned a few things that can make the difference between good and absolutely incredible.

Temperature Matters More Than You Think

This salad is best served slightly chilled, but not ice-cold.

If your vegetables have been sitting in the fridge, let them come to just below room temperature before dressing.

Cold vegetables don’t absorb flavors as well, and you’ll miss out on some of the dressing’s complexity.

The Peanut Situation

I use two different types of peanuts in this recipe, and there’s a method to my madness.

The unsalted roasted peanuts get mixed into the salad itself, while the salted ones go on top as garnish.

This gives you layers of peanut flavor and different textures — some that have absorbed the dressing and become slightly softer, and others that maintain their crunch.

To crush peanuts perfectly, put them in a zip-top bag and bash them with a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy pan.

You want pieces, not powder — aim for roughly chopped chunks that are about ¼ to ½ the size of a whole peanut.

Spice Level Management

Bird’s eye chilies are no joke — they pack serious heat.

Start with less than the recipe calls for and taste as you go.

You can always add more, but you can’t take it back once it’s in there.

If you accidentally go overboard, adding a bit more palm sugar can help balance the heat.

Make-Ahead Magic

While this salad is best eaten fresh, you can prep components ahead of time.

Wash and cut all your vegetables up to a day in advance, storing them separately in the fridge.

The dressing can be made up to three days ahead and actually improves as the flavors meld.

However, don’t dress the salad until right before serving.

The vegetables will start to release water and become soggy if they sit in the dressing too long.

Creative Variations to Keep Things Interesting

Once you’ve mastered the basic Asinan Sayur (Indonesian salad with peanuts and tamarind) recipe, there are endless ways to make it your own.

Protein Power-Ups

While this salad is fantastic as-is, adding protein turns it into a complete meal.

Grilled shrimp works beautifully — the sweetness pairs perfectly with the tangy dressing.

Shredded rotisserie chicken is an easy weeknight addition, or try crispy tofu for a vegetarian protein boost.

For something really special, try adding some leftover satay chicken or beef.

The flavors are already in the same family, and the combination is absolutely divine.

Vegetable Variations

The beauty of this recipe is its flexibility.

Green papaya makes an excellent addition if you can find it — just julienne it like the carrots.

Blanched green beans add another layer of crunch, and thinly sliced radishes bring a peppery bite.

In the summer, I love adding fresh corn kernels (raw — trust me on this) and cherry tomatoes.

The sweetness of the corn plays beautifully with the tamarind, and the tomatoes add little bursts of acidity.

Seasonal Adaptations

In fall and winter, try adding thinly sliced apples or pears for a sweet crunch that works surprisingly well with the Indonesian flavors.

Pomegranate seeds make a gorgeous and delicious addition during their season, adding little pops of sweet-tart flavor.

For spring, fresh pea shoots or baby spinach can replace some of the lettuce, and thinly sliced snap peas add wonderful sweetness and crunch.

What to Expect: The Reality of Making Asinan Sayur

Let me be completely honest with you about what to expect when you make this Asinan Sayur (Indonesian salad with peanuts and tamarind) recipe for the first time.

It’s going to be delicious — I can almost guarantee that.

But it might not be exactly like what you’d get from a street vendor in Jakarta, and that’s perfectly okay.

The first time I made this at home, I was convinced I’d done something wrong because it tasted different from what I remembered from that little warung.

It took me a few tries to realize that the difference wasn’t a mistake — it was just my version.

Home cooking has its own magic, its own character, and that’s something to celebrate, not apologize for.

Your vegetables might be a little different from mine — maybe your napa cabbage is more tender, or your bean sprouts are particularly crisp.

Your tamarind concentrate might be from a different brand with a slightly different flavor profile.

These aren’t problems to solve; they’re opportunities to make the dish uniquely yours.

The key is to taste as you go and adjust accordingly.

If your dressing seems too sour, add a bit more palm sugar.

If it’s too sweet, squeeze in more lime juice.

If you want more heat, add another chili.

Cooking is a conversation between you and your ingredients, and this salad is particularly forgiving of improvisation.

One thing I can promise you: this salad will change how you think about vegetables.

It’s fresh and light but incredibly satisfying, with enough complexity to keep your taste buds interested from the first bite to the last.

It’s the kind of dish that makes you feel good about eating it — not in a smug, virtuous way, but in a “wow, this is actually delicious and happens to be healthy” way.

So go ahead, give this Asinan Sayur recipe a try.

Embrace the messiness of crushing peanuts, the slight chaos of hand-tearing lettuce, and the pure joy of tasting something that’s both completely new and somehow familiar.

Your taste buds will thank you, and you might just find yourself craving vegetables in a way you never thought possible.