Indonesian Cuisine
Papeda Ikan Kuah Kuning Khas Papua (Papuan Sago Porridge with Yellow Fish Soup)
Prep
15 min
Cook
30 min
Servings
4
Level
Medium
Papeda is a chewy sago porridge native to Papua and Maluku, with a unique texture—sticky and stretchy, almost like transparent glue. It's enjoyed warm alongside a fresh, savory yellow soup made with tongkol (skipjack tuna), making papeda a healthy, low-fat dish rich with the cultural stories of eastern Indonesia. It's perfect as a lunch or dinner menu that's a refreshing change from the usual.
🧂 Ingredients
🍽️ Servings: 4
Adjust the servings and the ingredient amounts & nutrition below update automatically.
- 150 grams sago flour
- 800 ml water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 500 grams, cut into medium pieces tongkol (skipjack tuna) or snapper fish
- 600 ml water for the fish soup
- 3 inch piece, lightly charred turmeric
- 2 inch piece, crushed ginger
- 1 stalk, crushed lemongrass
- 5 pieces shallots
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 pieces, toasted candlenuts
- 1 handful basil leaves
- 1 piece, cut into pieces red tomato
- 5 pieces (optional) bird's eye chilies
- 1 piece, juiced lime
- 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp, for sautéing cooking oil
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👩🍳 Instructions
- 1 First, make the yellow soup: blend the shallots, garlic, turmeric, and candlenuts until smooth.
- 2 Sauté the ground spice paste together with the ginger and lemongrass until fragrant and fully cooked.
- 3 Pour in 600 ml of water, add the cut tomato, and cook until it comes to a boil.
- 4 Add the fish, season with salt and sugar, and cook over medium heat until the fish is cooked through and the seasoning is well absorbed, about 15-20 minutes.
- 5 Add the basil leaves, whole bird's eye chilies, and lime juice, cook briefly, then turn off the heat. Set the yellow fish soup aside.
- 6 To make the papeda, dissolve the sago flour in a little cold water (about 200 ml) until there are no lumps, then add the salt.
- 7 In a separate pot, bring the remaining 600 ml of water to a full rolling boil.
- 8 Pour the sago mixture into the boiling water little by little while continuously stirring quickly with a wooden spoon or a long fork.
- 9 Keep stirring until the mixture turns a translucent whitish color and thickens like glue, with a chewy, transparent texture.
- 10 Remove the papeda from heat and serve immediately while still warm, as it will harden once it cools.
- 11 Serve the papeda by winding it around two forks, then drizzle or dip it into the warm yellow fish soup.
💡 Tips
• Use water that is fully at a rolling boil when pouring in the sago mixture so the papeda cooks through perfectly and doesn't have a raw, starchy smell.
• Stir the sago quickly and in one direction so the texture turns out smooth, chewy, and lump-free.
• Papeda tastes best when eaten piping hot; once it cools, the texture will harden and become difficult to wind around a fork.
• The yellow soup can be made with mackerel, snapper, or even shrimp instead, depending on your preference and what's available in your area.
📊 Nutrition Facts / serving
280
Calories (kcal)
22 g
Protein
8 g
Fat
32 g
Carbs
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