Pecel (sometimes spelled pecal) is a traditional Indonesian dish that consists of blanched or lightly cooked vegetables served with a spicy peanut sauce. The dish is popular in Java, particularly in Central and East Java, and is often enjoyed as a salad or main course.
The vegetables used in pecel can vary but typically include water spinach (kangkung), long beans, bean sprouts, cabbage, spinach, and cassava leaves. The peanut sauce, known as sambal pecel, is made from ground roasted peanuts, chilies, garlic, tamarind, makrut lime leaves, palm sugar, and salt. The sauce is typically sweet, savory, and mildly spicy, with a rich, nutty flavor.
Pecel is often served with accompaniments such as fried tempeh, tofu, rice cakes (lontong or ketupat), and krupuk (crispy crackers). It is a versatile dish that can be eaten at any time of the day, either as a light meal or a more substantial one, depending on the side dishes included.
The dish is similar to gado-gado, another Indonesian salad with peanut sauce, but pecel is typically less complex in its ingredient composition and has a more pronounced emphasis on the peanut sauce. Pecel is a staple in Javanese cuisine and is commonly sold in traditional markets and by street vendors.