Too Many Veggies in Warm Weather? Make Indonesian-Inspired Dishes!

When warm summer days bless us with baskets full of fresh vegetables — and the fridge is already groaning under the weight — it’s time to get creative. Especially when some of those veggies just don’t last long in the heat. One of the best ways to rescue your harvest before it spoils? Cook up a few Indonesian-inspired dishes!

Indonesian cuisine is a masterclass in turning simple, fresh (and even leftover) ingredients into something deeply flavorful and satisfying. Here are three dishes I made recently using green beans, carrots, Chinese cabbage, pak-soy, zucchini, onion, and garlic — all in abundance on a hot day.

1. Spicy Green Beans with Sweet-Sour Zucchini and Eggs

This dish brings together crisp beans, tangy zucchini, and rich tomato flavor, topped with protein-packed eggs. It’s bold and satisfying.

Ingredients:

• 250 g green beans, halved

• ½ onion, chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, chopped

• 1 jar sweet-sour zucchini (homemade is best!)

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• 2 tsp sambal (or more if you like it hot)

• 5 hard-boiled eggs, halved

• 1 can chopped tomatoes (or fresh if you have them)

• Sunflower oil

Instructions:

1. Cook the green beans until just tender, then cut in half.

2. In a pan, fry the onion in oil, then add garlic, ginger, and sambal.

3. Add tomatoes, green beans, and sweet-sour zucchini. Simmer for a few minutes.

4. Taste and adjust spice if needed.

5. Place halved eggs on top just before serving.

2. Chinese Cabbage and Pak-Soy in Peanut Sauce

Creamy, nutty, spicy — this dish is all about turning the tougher parts of your cabbage and bok-choy into something melt-in-your-mouth good.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, chopped

• Firm stems of Chinese cabbage and bok-choy, chopped

• 3 tbsp peanut butter

• Soy sauce to taste

• 250 ml coconut milk

• 2 tsp sambal

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• Sunflower oil

• Optional: chopped nuts for topping

Instructions:

1. Fry onion in oil, then add garlic, ginger, and sambal.

2. Add chopped cabbage and bok-choy stems. Stir-fry briefly.

3. Add soy sauce, coconut milk, and peanut butter. Stir until smooth and creamy.

4. Add a splash of water if too thick. Sprinkle with chopped nuts before serving.

3. Nasi Goreng with Carrots, Zucchini & Chopped Omelet

A true leftover hero, Nasi Goreng turns day-old rice and a few odds and ends into a complete, comforting meal.

Ingredients:

• 300 g rice, cooked and cooled

• 5–6 eggs, made into an omelet and chopped

• 1 onion, chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, chopped

• 1 zucchini, chopped

• 4 carrots, chopped

• 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)

• Sambal, ginger to taste

• Spices: 1 tsp kurkuma (turmeric), 1 tsp laos (galangal), 1 tsp sereh (lemongrass powder)

• Soy sauce to taste

• Sunflower oil

Instructions:

1. Fry onion in oil, then add garlic, ginger, sambal. Fry a bit more.

2. Add chopped carrots and zucchini, then the spices.

3. Stir in chopped omelet and peas.

4. Add rice and soy sauce, stir thoroughly and taste-test.

Serve All Together & Enjoy

These dishes are best when served all at once — a colorful, flavorful feast. Add some fresh cucumber or pickled veggies on the side for contrast. It’s a perfect way to avoid waste, keep cool in the kitchen, and celebrate the bounty of your garden or market.

Got more veggies lying around? These recipes are flexible — swap, add, or adjust to your taste. Indonesian cooking loves creativity!

Let me know if you want the recipe for sweet-sour zucchini or ideas for pickling or fermenting the rest of your summer veggies