12 Types of Fresh Vegetables for Lalapan that are Perfect to Accompany Sambal, Guaranteed to Increase Appetite

Kapanlagi.com - Lalapan has become an inseparable part of traditional Indonesian dishes. Served raw or semi-cooked, lalapan vegetables provide a refreshing sensation, increase appetite, and are the perfect companion for sambal and fried dishes.

Not only delicious, some of these lalapan vegetables also hold many health benefits. The content of vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants makes lalapan not just a side dish, but also a supporter of a practical and natural healthy eating pattern.

For those of you who are bored with eating meat and want to enjoy sambal, here are some lalapan vegetables that are suitable to accompany warm rice. Let's check it out, KLovers!

1. Basil Leaves

Illustration (credit: pixabay.com)

First, there are basil leaves, the distinctive aroma of basil makes it a favorite vegetable for lalapan (raw vegetable dish). It is usually served with fried chicken or grilled fish. This leaf contains antioxidants and is believed to help reduce bad breath naturally.

2. Cucumber

Illustration (credit: pixabay.com)

Next, there is cucumber, which is always present in the lalapan menu because of its fresh and crunchy taste. It has a high water content, good for body hydration, and is perfect to be enjoyed with shrimp paste sambal or bajak sambal.

3. Cabbage

Illustration (credit: pixabay.com)

Raw cabbage is often used as lalapan because of its crunchy texture and neutral taste. It is suitable to be enjoyed with spicy sambal and fried chicken. Cabbage is also rich in vitamin C and good for digestion.

4. Lettuce

Illustration (credit: pixabay.com)

Lettuce is also a refreshing and light choice for a vegetable side dish. Its bright green color enhances the appearance of the plate. Lettuce is perfect when combined with sambal and grilled dishes.

5. Long Beans

Who likes long beans? Raw or half-boiled long beans are often served as a vegetable side dish. They have a savory taste and are rich in fiber, making them perfect to enjoy with salted fish or fried tempeh along with fresh sambal ulek.

6. Boiled Purple Eggplant

Illustration (credit: pixabay.com)

Boiled purple eggplant is also a great companion for sambal. This vegetable adds texture variation to the side dish. Cooked briefly to avoid becoming too soft, this eggplant pairs wonderfully with shrimp paste sambal. Eggplant also helps maintain blood pressure.

7. Tomato

Illustration (credit: pixabay.com)

Fresh tomatoes are often added to vegetable salads because of their sweet-sour taste. The lycopene content in tomatoes is good for skin and heart health. They pair well with onion chili sauce.

8. Cassava Leaves

Boiled until tender, cassava leaves become a common vegetable salad in rice stalls. They have a slightly bitter taste and are suitable for strong-flavored side dishes. These leaves are high in iron and fiber.

9. Leunca

Illustration (credit: freepik.com)

Leunca is small and round with a distinct fresh bitter taste. Often found in traditional Sundanese vegetable salads, leunca is best enjoyed with oncom chili sauce or raw or cooked shrimp paste chili sauce, along with warm rice of course.

10. Young Loofah

Young loofah or gambas can be briefly boiled and served as a vegetable side dish. Its texture is soft and light, with a neutral flavor that blends well with sambal. Loofah is also good for your digestion, KLovers!

11. Boiled Bitter Melon

Illustration (credit: pixabay.com)

Although bitter, bitter melon is still favored as a vegetable side dish by lovers of authentic flavors. It is boiled first to reduce the bitterness, and it is perfect to enjoy with spicy sambal and salted fish.

12. Papaya Leaves

And lastly, there are boiled papaya leaves known for their distinctive bitter taste. However, as a vegetable side dish, these leaves are popular because of their benefits for improving digestion and naturally increasing appetite.

Those are some vegetable side dishes that are perfect to accompany warm rice. There are still many food recommendations that KLovers can discover by reading articles on kapanlagi.com. Because, if not now, when else, KapanLagi?

(kpl/dhm)