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Asinan Betawi

Asinan Jakarta (Traditional Betawi Peanut Salad)

A vibrant Indonesian salad of fresh vegetables and tofu drenched in a sweet, spicy, and tangy peanut-tamarind dressing. It’s crunchy, refreshing, and bursting with tropical street-food energy.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 Servings
Course: Appetizer, Light Lunch, Salad
Cuisine: Betawi (Jakarta), Indonesian
Calories: 280
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Peanut Dressing (Bumbu Kacang)
  • 1 cup 250 g peanuts (kacang tanah), roasted or fried until golden
  • 5 red chili peppers cabai merah keriting, seeded for milder taste
  • 5 bird’s eye chilies cabai rawit merah — optional for extra heat
  • 2 garlic cloves bawang putih
  • 1 cup 250 ml water
Asinan Broth
  • 1 tbsp dried shrimp powder ebi — or omit for vegan version
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 4 tbsp sugar
  • ¾ cup 150 ml tamarind water (air asam jawa) — made from 1 tbsp tamarind pulp dissolved in warm water
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar or distilled vinegar cuka
  • ¾ cup 150 g palm sugar (gula merah), finely chopped or grated
  • 2 cups 500–600 ml water
  • A handful of roasted peanuts for garnish
Vegetables and Toppings
  • A few leaves lettuce daun selada, roughly chopped
  • 2 cups cabbage kol, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup carrots wortel, julienned
  • 1 cup cucumber timun, sliced into sticks
  • 1 cup bean sprouts tauge, blanched briefly in hot water
  • 2 tofu blocks tahu putih, steamed or lightly fried, cut into cubes
  • Optional a handful of long beans (kacang panjang) or a bit of pickled mustard greens (sawi asin) for the traditional Betawi touch
Crunchy Garnish
  • Fried noodle crackers kerupuk mie or crispy Asian noodle snacks
  • Pink tapioca crackers kerupuk pink — optional, for an authentic Indonesian flair

Instruction
 

  1. Prepare the Ingredients
    Wash and cut all vegetables as listed. Blanch the bean sprouts briefly in boiling water, then cool. Steam or fry the tofu and cut into bite-sized cubes. Set aside the crackers for serving.
  2. Make the Peanut Paste
    Blend roasted peanuts, red chili peppers, bird’s eye chilies, garlic, and 1 cup of water until smooth. Reserve a few tablespoons of whole roasted peanuts for garnish.
  3. Cook the Asinan Broth
    In a medium saucepan, pour in the peanut paste. Add dried shrimp powder (ebi), salt, sugar, tamarind water, vinegar, palm sugar, and 2 cups of water.Simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture boils gently.
    Taste and adjust: it should be sweet, tangy, spicy, and slightly salty.If it’s too thick, add more water until it reaches a thin, pourable consistency.Remove from heat and let cool completely — the broth is served cold or at room temperature, never hot.
  4. Assemble the Salad
    In serving bowls, layer lettuce, cabbage, carrots, cucumber, bean sprouts, and tofu cubes.Pour the cooled peanut-tamarind broth generously over the vegetables until lightly submerged.Top with roasted peanuts and crushed noodle crackers.Serve immediately with pink crackers on the side for an authentic Jakarta touch.

Notes

  • Ebi (dried shrimp powder): This gives umami depth. You can substitute with a dash of fish sauce or miso paste for similar savory flavor. Omit for a vegan version.
  • Tamarind water (air asam jawa): Widely available in Asian or Indian stores. Substitute with lime juice mixed with a touch of brown sugar if unavailable.
  • Palm sugar (gula merah): Can be replaced with dark brown sugar or coconut sugar.
  • Kerupuk mie / kerupuk pink: Use crispy noodle snacks or shrimp chips as an easy Western substitute.
  • Serving tip: Asinan is meant to be eaten cold, like a refreshing summer salad. Chill the broth for 1–2 hours before pouring it over the vegetables.
 

Flavor Profile

This dish balances the five essential tastes:
  • Sweetness from palm sugar,
  • Tang from tamarind and vinegar,
  • Heat from chilies,
  • Savory from peanuts and shrimp powder,
  • Freshness from raw vegetables.
It’s the Indonesian answer to the Thai peanut salad — bolder, tangier, and deeply rooted in the street flavors of Jakarta.