The main ingredients of this dish are usually poultry, goat meat, beef, mutton, various kinds of offal, fish and seafood, as well as vegetables such as cassava leaves, unripe jackfruit and banana stem.

In Minangkabau lands of West Sumatra, the ruku-ruku leaf (Ocimum tenuiflorum) is a must-use ingredient, while in its Javanese counterpart, the coriander is favoured.

The thick golden, yellowish, succulent and spicy gulai sauce has become a hallmark that can be seen on window displays of restaurant establishments in Padang, Indonesia.

Rendang (beef simmered in coconut milk and spices), asam padeh (sour and spicy stew) and kalio (watery and light-coloured gravy) are often considered as variations of Padang gulai.

Masak lemak cili api, a type of gulai made with coconut milk spiced with turmeric and bird's eye chili, is described as the hallmark of Negeri Sembilanese cuisine.

Gulai recipes can be found in various cooking traditions across the Indonesian Archipelago; such as Minangkabau, Malay, Acehnese and Javanese cuisine.