Indonesian Recipes (Bali, Java) - Fried Tempe or Potato Sticks (Kering Tempe) Recipe

Ingredients

• 400 g/14 oz tempe or 400 g/14 oz peeled potatoes

• 5 cloves garlic

• 7 red shallots

• 5 red chilies

• 1 piece galangal root, about 3 cm/1 1/4 in long

• 2 salam leaves (or bay leaves)

• 2 tablespoons tamarind mousse

• 1 teaspoon trasi (shrimp paste)

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• pinch of salt

• 2-3 tablespoons water

• 1 tablespoon oil

• oil for frying

Serves 4

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Method:

1. Cut the tempe or peeled potatoes into thin sticks. Peel the garlic and shallots and cut into wafer-thin slices or rings and fry until crisp.

2. Remove the seeds from the chilies, cut into very fine strips and fry. Put all the fried ingredients to one side.

3. Peel the galangal root and crush. Add the salam leaves, tamarind mousse, trasi, brown sugar, salt, water and oil and stir well.

4. Fry slowly in a wok on a low heat. It is very important to keep the temperature low so that the aroma of the galangal root and salam leaves can develop properly. The water will prevent the sugar burning and ensure that it caramelizes quickly.

5. Add the fried ingredients to this spicy mixture and stir so that they are well coated.