A lower-carb sayur buncis: green beans simmered in a coconut sauce flavored with garlic, onion and makrut lime.
The green beans are spoon-tender, coated in a warm coconut sauce where garlic, onion and makrut lime bring savory, sweet and citrusy notes. Sayur buncis is a dish of green beans simmered in a coconut sauce, easy to prepare on a weeknight. For 2 people, allow about 10 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cooking time. This recipe is one of my keto dishes.
What is sayur buncis?
Sayur buncis is a dish of green beans simmered in a coconut sauce, with a base of onion, garlic and, depending on your taste, a little chili. Its deep, savory flavor comes from trassi, a fermented shrimp paste, or a few drops of sugar-free fish sauce, or both; these additions enhance the saltiness and umami flavor without overpowering the sauce.
For two people, you will need 150 g of green beans, one onion, two cloves of garlic, a little ginger and galangal, one to two makrut lime leaves, 25 g of solid creamed coconut and one tablespoon of coconut oil. The sauce coats the beans without making them heavy, and the makrut lime leaves are removed before serving.
Background and balance of the dish
This saucy vegetable dish comes from everyday Indonesian cooking: a quick simmer, designed to accompany a base that soaks up the sauce well. When served with cauliflower rice, a less liquid version holds together better on the plate.
The amount of water determines the consistency of the sauce. At around 300 ml, it stays thin and plentiful; at around 200 ml, it becomes thicker and better suited to a low-carb meal. With these proportions, one serving contains 16 g of net carbs, with the side dish playing a large part in the overall balance.
The main ingredients
Green beans are the heart of the dish. Fine varieties cook faster and stay more tender, while regular green beans need more time. Cut into pieces about 2 cm long, they cook evenly: allow about 15 minutes for fine beans and closer to 20 to 25 minutes for regular ones.
Onion sautรฉed in coconut oil creates a sweet base, garlic adds a bold note, and half a red chili provides moderate heat that can be left out. Ginger brings a lively warmth, while resinous, slightly citrusy galangal complements it without taking over. Solid creamed coconut adds body: crumbled, it melts quickly and thickens the cooking liquid, and cannot be replaced with an equal quantity of liquid coconut cream.
Stock powder adds salt and rounded flavor; homemade chicken stock works too. Trassi brings a deep seafood flavor, while fish sauce adds a clean saltiness; since they are already salty, taste before adjusting the seasoning. For a plant-based version, leave them out, use vegetable stock and add umami with gluten-free white miso or taotjo, checking their ingredients.
Cooking tips and serving
First sautรฉ the onion, then the garlic, chili and makrut lime leaves: this base flavors the oil, then the beans. Crumble the solid creamed coconut into the pan and maintain a gentle simmer so the beans soften without the sauce reducing too quickly. Add water in small amounts, and a splash of hot water will keep things simmering if the sauce thickens too soon.
For more low-carb ideas, browse all my keto recipes.
Aim for beans that are cooked all the way through, with no raw firmness in the center. To serve, cauliflower rice keeps the carbs down, and a marinated egg rounds out the meal nicely. Let leftovers cool before refrigerating them in an airtight container, reheat gently with a little water if the sauce has thickened, and avoid reheating repeatedly.
Sayur buncis
Ingredients
- 150 g fine green beans or 150 g green beans
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 0.5 red chili pepper (chili or Spanish pepper)
- 0.5 to 1 teaspoon bouillon powder
- 25 g creamed coconut block
- 0.5 cm trassi
- a few drops fish sauce (sugar-free)
- a small piece ginger fresh
- a small piece galangal fresh
- 1 or 2 makrut lime leaves (djeroek poeroet)
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil for cooking
- 300 ml water for a thin sauce, to serve with rice or gluten-free noodles; or 200 ml water for a thicker sauce, to serve with cauliflower rice
Instructions
- Heat the frying pan and add the oil. Slice the onion into half-rings and sautรฉ. Crush the garlic, finely chop the chili pepper and add both. Sautรฉ the makrut lime leaves along with the other ingredients.1 tablespoon coconut oil, 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 0.5 red chili pepper (chili or Spanish pepper), 1 or 2 makrut lime leaves (djeroek poeroet), 0.5 cm trassi, a small piece ginger, a small piece galangal, a few drops fish sauce (sugar-free)
- Wash the beans, trim the ends and cut into pieces about 2 cm long. I’m not particularly fond of regular green beans, so I use fine green beans. The only difference is that regular green beans need to simmer a little longer. Add them to the pan.150 g fine green beans
- Sprinkle the beans with bouillon powder. Put some hot water in a cup (not all the water yet) and pour a splash over the beans. Of course, you can also use homemade (bone) broth. I find chicken broth works best with green bean sajoer.0.5 to 1 teaspoon bouillon powder, 300 ml water
- Crumble the creamed coconut block and let it dissolve in the sauce. Lower the heat a little and simmer gently until cooked. Allow about fifteen minutes for fine green beans, or a little longer to get them really tender. Allow 20 to 25 minutes for regular green beans.25 g creamed coconut block
- Add a little water whenever the sauce gets too thick. This prevents the sauce from ending up too thin. Remove the makrut lime leaves before serving.
