Tempeh Sambal (Tempe Kering)
Tempeh sliced thin and fried until golden and nutty, then tossed in a sambal of red chiles, shallots, lemongrass, and kecap manis that caramelizes to a lacquer in the pan — each piece of tempeh absorbing the sweet-spicy glaze while maintaining its characteristic firm, meaty bite. It is one of the great vegan preparations: deeply satisfying in a way that has nothing to do with mimicking meat.
Ingredients
For 4 servings · tick what is ready
Use the scaled ingredient list. Steps and temperatures stay unchanged; use a larger pan or dish if needed. Seasonings to taste stay to taste.
How to make it
Heat 1 cm of oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers and a small piece of tempeh sizzles immediately on contact, begin frying the tempeh slices in a single layer, without crowding. Fry for 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden-brown and crisp on the outside. The tempeh should not be pale — it needs color for the later glazing step to work properly. Drain on a rack, not paper towels.
In the same pan with the remaining tablespoon of oil, add the shallots and cook over medium heat until golden and beginning to caramelize — about 5 minutes. Add the sliced chiles, garlic, lemongrass, and bay leaves. Stir-fry for 3 minutes until the chiles are softened and fragrant. The shallots should be well beyond translucent — approaching crisp and golden — before the kecap manis is added.
Add the fried tempeh to the sambal base. Pour the kecap manis over everything. Toss vigorously over high heat for 2–3 minutes until the kecap manis caramelizes and coats every piece of tempeh in a dark, glossy glaze. The liquid should reduce completely — the pan should be nearly dry. Season with salt if needed (kecap manis is quite salty already). Remove the lemongrass and bay leaves before serving.
About this recipe
By ForkRecipe Kitchen · Source: ForkRecipe / FoodML and contributors. Recipe content available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Serving count is an estimate; check quantities in the source recipe.