Nasi pecel


4–6 cups bayem (amaranth)
1 cup bean sprouts
2–3 cups papaya leaves
1 cup long beans, steamed and cut into 1-inch pieces

  1. Steam vegetables for a few seconds.
  2. Mix up about 2–3 tablespoons of bumbu pecel to a thick consistency.
  3. Eat with rice.
Serves 3–4

This is a common early-morning breakfast dish—post wayang kulit—in Praci, Wonogiri. It's served without rice, and wrapped up in banana leaves. The bumbu pecel there is very hot!

American note: A Javanese cook here makes a simple pecel with bean sprouts and fried tofu. Chinese and Japanese stores sell fried tofu. Soak it in boiling water for a minute or two to get rid of the excess oil, then add the bumbu.