Tempe Manis (Deep Fried Tempe in Sweet Soy Sauce)

Tempeh is a traditional soy product that originated from Indonesia. It is made by fermenting and culturing soybeans which binds them into a cake form. It is a staple source of protein, especially for the Javanese. Tempeh is a whole soybean product which gives it a higher concentration of dietary fibre protein and vitamins. The texture is firm and the taste is earthy, becoming stronger the longer it is left to ferment.

Ilya fell in love with Indonesian style tempeh. It is such a versatile ingredient and can be cooked a million different ways, all of which are delicious!

Serves 2-3 people

Ingredients

• 1 packet of tempe
• 6 shallots
• 8 cloves of garlic
• 2 tbsp large red chili
• 3 cm ginger
• 1/2 litre coconut oil for frying
• 2 tbsp sweet soy sauce - Kecap Manis
• 2 kaffir lime leaves
• 2 tbsp pre-fried crispy shallots
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Slice the tempe into thin strips. Heat the coconut oil in a pan and add the tempe. Deep fry until golden brown and then remove and set aside on paper towel to remove excess oil.
2. Slice the red chilies and remove their seeds. Slice the garlic, shallot, and ginger. Heat 3 tablespoons of coconut oil in another pan and sauté ingredients until they are light brown.
3. Add the deep fried tempe to the pan and add the fried garlic, shallot, ginger, red chilies and add the pre-fried shallots and mix. Add the Kecap Manis and broken kaffir lime leaves. Stir well to coat tempe in the sauce.
4. Serve hot as a main course.