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Sauces, pastes & condiments · Curry pastes

Bumbu dasar merah (Indonesian red base)

Indonesian red base of chillies, shallots, garlic and candlenut cooked in oil — a make-ahead start for nasi goreng.

Also called: red bumbu, bumbu merah, red spice base, basic red paste

Around the world: bumbu dasar merah, bumbu merah (id)

Make it yourself: Bumbu dasar merah (Indonesian red spice base)

What it is

One of the Indonesian 'basic bumbu': red chillies, shallots, garlic, toasted candlenuts and tomato blended and cooked slowly in oil until thick and brick red, then seasoned with salt and palm sugar. Home cooks keep it in the fridge and spoon it into fried rice, noodles, balado and sambal goreng.

How it’s used

  • Nasi goreng and mie goreng
  • Telur or terong balado
  • Sambal goreng with potatoes or liver
  • Stir-fried greens

Characteristics

Taste
Sweet-savoury, garlicky and moderately hot.
Sold as
paste
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Mainly a seasoning
Common in
Indonesian

Storage

Refrigerated. Covered with oil in a clean jar for up to 2 weeks; freeze for 3 months.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions. May contain Tree nuts — check the label.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free (check label)
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • May contain candlenut, which must always be cooked.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
40 kcal
Protein
1.87 g
Carbohydrate
8.81 g
Fat
0.44 g
Fibre
1.5 g
Sugars
5.3 g

USDA FoodData Central: Peppers, hot chili, red, raw (a close stand-in).

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

Related ingredients

Recipes with bumbu dasar merah (indonesian red base)

No recipe in the catalogue uses it yet.

More curry pastes