Tempeh Goreng
Indonesian fried tempeh: thick batons marinated in garlic, coriander and tamarind, then deep-fried until shatteringly crisp on the outside and dense and nutty within. Served as a snack, a side, or a main with rice and sambal.
Overview
Tempeh is sliced into thick fingers; marinated in a paste of garlic, coriander seed, tamarind, salt and water. The batons drain briefly, then deep-fry in batches until crisp and deep golden. Best eaten hot, with kecap manis or sambal for dipping.
Ingredients
- 400 g tempeh (cut into 1 ½ cm thick batons, about 6 cm long)
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon palm sugar (or brown sugar)
- 200 ml water
- Vegetable oil (for deep-frying)
To serve
- Kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy)
- Sambal Oelek (or sliced bird's eye chillies)
- Steamed Rice
Method
Stage 1 - Marinade
- Crush the garlic and coriander seeds to a paste in a mortar (or finely mince).
- Mix with the tamarind, salt, sugar and water in a wide dish.
- Add the tempeh batons; turn to coat. Marinate 30 minutes - the tempeh soaks up the liquid.
Stage 2 - Drain
- Lift the batons out of the marinade; let them drain on a wire rack 5 minutes (excess water spits in hot oil).
Stage 3 - Fry
- Heat 4 cm of oil in a wok or deep pan to 180°C (a tempeh corner should bubble vigorously when dipped).
- Fry the batons in 2 batches for 4-5 minutes each until deep golden and crisp on all sides.
- Lift onto kitchen paper to drain.
Stage 4 - Serve
- Eat immediately, dipped in kecap manis with sambal alongside, or piled over rice.
Notes
- Tempeh quality matters: Look for the densely packed, slightly mottled (white-grey) Indonesian-style tempeh; supermarket "soy fermented blocks" sometimes have a much denser, less interesting texture.
- Don't skip the drain: Wet tempeh in hot oil splatters dangerously and gives a soggy crust.
- Fry temperature: Below 170°C and the tempeh absorbs oil and goes greasy; above 195°C and the outside burns before the inside heats through.
Storage
- Best eaten right away. Re-crisp leftovers in a hot dry pan or oven at 200°C for 5 minutes - don't microwave.
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