Kentang dan bayam itu saya rebus sebentar, lalu saya tambahkan kaldu hangat.

In Indonesian, itu often comes after the noun phrase, not before it like English that/those.

So:

• kentang dan bayam itu = those potatoes and spinach / the potatoes and spinach

  Here, itu helps mark the ingredients as something already known in the context. It can sound a bit like those or simply the, depending on the situation.

Both are possible, but they are not exactly the same in structure.

• saya merebus kentang dan bayam itu = a regular active sentence: I boil the potatoes and spinach
• kentang dan bayam itu saya rebus = the object is moved to the front for emphasis: The potatoes and spinach, I boil briefly

This fronting is very common in Indonesian. It highlights what is being acted on.

So in this sentence:

• kentang dan bayam itu is the thing being focused on
• saya rebus means I boil

When the object comes first like this, Indonesian often uses the bare verb form, such as rebus, instead of merebus.

Here, rebus is a verb meaning to boil.

In dictionary form, many Indonesian roots can function in different ways depending on the sentence, but here:

• saya rebus = I boil

So rebus is clearly verbal in this context.

Sebentar means for a short time or briefly.

So:

• saya rebus sebentar = I boil it briefly / I boil it for a moment

It tells you the action is not done for long.

Because Indonesian often leaves out objects when they are already clear from context.

In this sentence:

• Kentang dan bayam itu appears at the beginning
• then saya rebus sebentar follows

So the listener already knows what is being boiled. Indonesian does not need to repeat a pronoun like them.

A very literal structure would be something like:

• The potatoes and spinach, I boil briefly

English usually prefers repeating or implying the object differently, but Indonesian is comfortable with this structure.

Lalu means then, after that, or next.

It links actions in sequence:

• saya rebus sebentar, lalu saya tambahkan kaldu hangat
• I boil them briefly, then I add warm broth

It is a common connector when giving instructions or describing steps.

Both can appear in Indonesian, but tambahkan has a slightly more transitive or directive feel here.

• tambah = add, increase
• tambahkan = add something

In cooking instructions, tambahkan is very common because it clearly means add [an ingredient].

So:

• saya tambahkan kaldu hangat = I add warm broth

You may also hear saya tambah kaldu hangat, especially in casual speech, but tambahkan sounds very natural in recipe-style language.

Because adjectives usually come after the noun in Indonesian.

So:

• kaldu hangat = warm broth
• bayam segar = fresh spinach
• air panas = hot water

This is one of the most basic word-order differences from English.

It means the broth itself is warm.

• kaldu = broth/stock
• hangat = warm

So kaldu hangat is a noun phrase meaning warm broth.

Indonesian often repeats the subject for clarity, especially when describing a sequence of actions.

So:

• ..., lalu saya tambahkan kaldu hangat
• ..., then I add warm broth

You could sometimes omit the second saya if the context is very clear, but repeating it is natural and clear.

It sounds very natural and fits well in:

• cooking instructions
• a recipe explanation
• spoken or written procedural language

It is not extremely formal, but it is neat and standard. The use of lalu, tambahkan, and the step-by-step structure makes it feel especially suitable for recipes or demonstrations.

Yes, it could be omitted, depending on context.

Compare:

• Kentang dan bayam itu saya rebus sebentar
  = Those/the potatoes and spinach, I boil briefly
• Kentang dan bayam saya rebus sebentar
  = I boil potatoes and spinach briefly / The potatoes and spinach, I boil briefly

With itu, the ingredients sound more specific or already established in the conversation. Without it, the sentence is still correct but slightly less definite.

A helpful breakdown is:

• Kentang dan bayam itu = object/topic being highlighted
• saya rebus sebentar = I boil briefly
• lalu = then
• saya tambahkan kaldu hangat = I add warm broth

So the pattern is roughly:

• [Object/Topic] + [Subject + Verb] + [time/manner] + connector + [Subject + Verb + Object]

This kind of topic-fronting is very common in Indonesian and is one reason Indonesian word order can feel more flexible than English.