Melati’s Kering Tempeh (Sticky + Sweet Fried Tempeh)
INGREDIENTS
For the bumbu (blended spice paste):
- 2 inches peeled fresh ginger, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves peeled garlic
- 2 small peeled shallots, roughly chopped
- 2 candlenuts (can sub Brazil nuts or omit)
- 2 Fresno chilies, roughly chopped (de-seeded if you prefer less spice)
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
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Other ingredients:
- 1 block (10 oz) Reculture tempeh, sliced into one-inch length pieces
- 4 Makrut lime leaves, de-veined and thinly sliced into slivers
- 1 stalk lemongrass, cut into two-inch pieces, bruised
- 1 tbsp freshly ground coriander
- 2 tbsp sweet soy sauce
- 1 tbsp coconut palm sugar or brown sugar
- 1 tbsp tamarind concentrate, mixed with 1/4 cup water
- 1-2 Indonesian bay leaves (daun salam), optional
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- neutral oil for frying, like sunflower
- small pinch of MSG, optional
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Optional: enjoy with rice, toasted peanuts, and sambal or chili crisp.
Kering tempeh is a popular street food often served with rice, sambal, and wrapped together in a banana leaf like a little present. It’s cheap and filling and not too messy and perfectly tangy and salty and crispy and sweet and spicy. I love this dish as a semi-quick dinner, eaten with a side of sliced cucumber, sambal or chili crisp, toasted peanuts, and jasmine rice. No wrong way to do this.
Serves: 2-3
Origin: Java, but enjoyed everywhere.
DIRECTIONS
In a large skillet, add enough oil to cover pan in 1/4 inches high and heat on medium-high until it starts to shimmer. Carefully place tempeh slices into pan and fry about 3 minutes each side until the pieces are golden. Set the tempe aside on a paper towel.
Meanwhile, add your bumbu ingredients into a food processor or mortar + pestle and blend until smooth.
In a large pan, heat 2 tbsp oil on medium heat and add the ground coriander, toasting for 1 minute.
Add the bumbu, stirring frequently until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the makrut lime leaves, lemongrass, bay leaf and sauté, stirring frequently until aromatic, about 2 minutes.
Add the MSG, salt, tamarind water, sweet soy sauce, and coconut sugar and cook for another minute or until the liquid begins to thicken.
Add the fried tempe and mix gently but thoroughly so every piece gets coated in the sauce. Once the sauce has gone from ‘saucy’ to ‘tacky’ (about 2 minutes) you’re ready to eat.
Serve with rice.
