Simple Sayur Kubis Goreng – Indonesian Cabbage Recipe

Sayur Kubis (or Sayur Kol) is a simple Indonesian vegetable dish of stir-fried cabbage in broth with onions, garlic, and a kick of heat from sambal oelek (red chili paste).

This dish is a great example of Indonesian home cooking, highlighting the use of fresh ingredients to create affordable, yet delicious dishes. It is often part of a larger meal spread, providing a healthy and flavorful vegetable option to complement the richer, spicier main dishes.

If you are a fan of cabbage, check out the Sambal Goreng Kol with Pineapple, a spicy stir-fried cabbage side dish.

In Indonesian cuisine, “sayur” (or sajoer) refers to a variety of light vegetable-based dishes, which are often stir-fried and added to a flavorful broth.

I made Sayur of cabbage a lot when I first moved out and was going to college. It is such a quick and simple vegetable dish. And combined with some steamed rice or bami goreng, and a few sweet soy fish sticks you have a budget-friendly, complete, and tasty meal in no time. Perfect for me as a busy college student at the time.

There are many versions of sayur, with the cabbage sayur being one of the simplest and easiest versions to prepare. Another variety is Sayur lodeh, maybe the most popular. Sayur lodeh includes a mix of vegetables like carrots, green beans, and cauliflower, along with cabbage. Unlike the cabbage sayur, sayur lodeh features a rich, creamy coconut milk base and boasts more complex flavors from additional aromatics and spices.

Sayur Kubis is sometimes referred to as Sayur Kol. The Indonesian word “kol” for cabbage is derived from the Dutch word “kool”, meaning cabbage. This linguistic influence stems from the period of Dutch colonization in Indonesia, during which many Dutch words were adopted into the Indonesian language.

Ingredients and Substitutes

You can use many types of cabbage for this dish. Whatever you like and can get. Green cabbage, savoy, white, Chinese, or pointed cabbage. While not a true cabbage, you can even use bok choy as a substitute for the cabbage in this dish.

Laos powder, also known as galangal, is a fragrant Indonesian spice derived from the rhizome of the galangal plant. It has a unique, slightly earthy, and citrusy flavor. It is widely used in Southeast Asian cuisine to add depth and warmth to soups, curries, and marinades.
It is often said you can substitute loas with ginger, and yes you could, but the overall taste is slightly different. Laos has a sharper, more citrus-peppery flavor, while ginger is spicier with a sweeter, warmer taste.

Sambal oelek is a simple chili paste made from fresh red chilies, salt, and sometimes a bit of vinegar or lime juice. It serves as a base for many other types of sambals and is widely used in Indonesian cuisine to add heat and flavor to various dishes. You can substitute with any hot chili paste or sauce like Sriracha, though the flavor profile will vary.