Lara Lee
Contributor
Lara Lee is an Indonesian and Australian chef and food writer. She trained at Leiths School of Food and Wine and now runs an event catering business called Kiwi and Roo, serving delicious food to high-profile guests including the royal family and the Australian prime minister; and at venues such as the Natural History Museum and the Royal Academy of Arts. She also holds supper clubs that celebrate her heritage with both Australian and Indonesian cuisine all over London. Coconut & Sambal is her first cookbook.
Everyone’s Favorite Gado-Gado
With a peanut butter sauce and crunchy vegetables, this easy-to-love noodle salad is a surefire hit with kids and adults alike.
Tabasco and Gochujang Cured-Salmon Poke Bowl
This take on a poke bowl combines cubes of sashimi-grade raw salmon or smoked salmon with a spicy marinade of Tabasco, sesame oil, and gochujang.
A Shortcut to Lemongrass Flavor With None of the Work
This quick, zingy lemongrass dressing works wonders on brussels sprouts, noodles, and even as a marinade for chicken.
Lemongrass Chicken Noodle Salad of Dreams
This salad is refreshing and light, but bursting with punchy flavors of lemongrass and fish sauce, and the sweet, caramel tones of coconut sugar.
Lemongrass Charred Brussels Sprouts
Tossed with the lemongrass dressing, the sweet-and-sour flavors swim into the cut edges of the smoky brussels sprouts.
Easy Lemongrass and Lime Dressing
Citrusy, perfumed, and utterly delicious, this lemongrass dressing works as a marinade for chicken and a heavenly dressing for salads or roasted vegetables.
Tamarind Millionaire’s Shortbread
The sourness of tamarind breathes new life into the classic millionaire’s shortbread.
Tamarind Caramel Brownies
Tamarind’s sharpness takes flight in sweet desserts, its sweetly sour profile offsetting the richness of the caramel in these deeply chocolatey brownies.
Sach Ko Ang
Sweet, spicy, and aromatic, these vibrantly delicious galangal-and-lemongrass–marinated beef skewers are a Cambodian street food staple.
Sambal Goreng Tempe
Toasty, nutty fried tempeh coated in a caramelized spice paste—plus lots of vegetables for good measure.
Ginger-Scallion Tofu Scramble With Spinach and Chili Oil
Spicy, creamy silken tofu with all of the crunchy toppings your heart desires.
Anzac Biscuits
Packed with oats, coconut, and rich golden syrup, this recipe for the beloved Australian “bikkies” lets you choose your own adventure: chewy or crunchy.
Gado-Gado Summer Rolls
Lara Lee’s crunchy, bright, and veg-packed summer rolls are a cross-cultural twist on two street food icons: refreshing Vietnamese gỏi cuốn and Indonesian gado-gado.
Soto Ayam Betawi
Rich, spiced, and full of coconutty goodness and zingy lime, this version of the traditional Indonesian dish uses bone-in chicken thighs to cut the cooking time to just under an hour.
Lumpia Ayam Sayur
These chicken and mushroom spring rolls are spiced with the sweet and salty flavors of kecap manis, the syrupy soy sauce for which Indonesia is famous.
Kue Keju
These savory Indonesian cookies from cookbook author Lara Lee are perfectly buttery, crumbly, and cheesy. Make a big batch and enjoy them with coffee or tea all week long.