Whenever I see this dish, known locally as tahu tempe goreng, on a laminated menu in Indonesia, I have to order it. Crisp, nutty, salty cubes of tempeh and tofu are drizzled with lime and kecap manis, and served on a bed of eye-wateringly spicy and umami-loaded sambal. The caramelised heat of the sambal, the fresh crunch of cucumber and the earthy, moreish tempeh and tofu make this as delicious as it is transportive, taking your tastebuds straight to south-east Asia.
Sticky tempeh and tofu with sambal
Prep 15 min
Cook 45 min
Serves 2
120ml neutral oil (eg, vegetable, sunflower or peanut)
2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
3 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
5 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
3 long red chillies, thinly sliced (deseeded if you’re sensitive to heat)
1 tbsp brown sugar
Fine salt, to taste
150g tempeh, cut into 1cm cubes (if need be, check the packet to ensure it’s gluten-free)
100g fried tofu, cut into 2cm chunks
Ground white pepper, to taste
To serve
1 tbsp kecap manis
Lime wedges
Steamed white or brown rice
⅓ cucumber, thinly sliced
In a large frying pan, heat half the oil over a medium-high heat. Cook the tomatoes, shallots, garlic and chillies, stirring every so often, for about 10 minutes, until the tomatoes break down. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook for another 10 minutes, until caramelised. Add the sugar to the pan, season with a generous pinch of salt, then tip the sambal mix into a bowl.
Wipe out the pan, set it over a high heat and add the remaining 60ml oil. Once hot, fry the tempeh in a single layer, stirring occasionally, for four or five minutes, until it starts to brown. Add the tofu and fry for another four or five minutes, until warmed through and also starting to brown. Season with salt and white pepper, and take off the heat.
Spread the sambal over one half of a serving plate. Top with the tempeh and tofu mixture, then drizzle over the kecap manis and a squeeze of lime. Arrange the rice, cucumber slices and extra lime wedges on the other side of the plate and serve immediately.
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Lara Lee is the author of A Splash of Soy, published by Bloomsbury at £22. To order a copy for £19.80, visit guardianbookshop.com
