The bumbu spice mixture includes ground chili pepper (optional, depending on the desired degree of spiciness), shallot, garlic, candlenut, coriander, kencur powder, turmeric powder (optional), dried shrimp paste, salt and sugar.

To add aroma and taste, an authentic Javanese sayur lodeh recipe might include ground old tempeh.

According to Javanese Kejawen beliefs, sayur lodeh is an essential part of the slametan ceremony and it is believed as tolak bala, to ward off possible danger and disaster.

[5] The people and the Keraton (court) of Yogyakarta often communally cook sayur lodeh for the slametan ceremony.

Although sayur lodeh is basically a vegetarian dish, it is popularly consumed with ikan asin (salted fish), opor ayam, empal gepuk or beef serundeng.