Home > Tempe dan Tahu Bacem (Javanese Braised Tempeh and Tofu)

Tempe dan Tahu Bacem (Javanese Braised Tempeh and Tofu)

Posting Date: 05/20/18

Tempe dan Tahu Bacem (Javanese Braised Tempeh and Tofu) is one of Indonesian tofu and tempeh dishes. It originated in Jogjakarta or Yogyakarta in Central Java. The food from that area tends to be sweeter. However, it is not overly sweet since they balance it with tamarind water and other spices making it very flavorful. Bacem means slowly boiling in low heat. Because of the way it is cooked, the tofu and tempeh become very flavorful. So, if you know anyone who doesn't like tofu due to its bland flavor, this is the recipe you should try because all the spices are absorbed during boiling making them very flavorful. After boiling them, they are fried until golden brown on all sides. Tempe dan tahu bacem is the vegetarian version of bacem. The meat version of bacem is Ayam Goreng Bacem (Javanese Fried Chicken). In Indonesia, this dish is normally served with other dishes and rice or it can be served as a snack. As a snack, it is served with Thai chili peppers on the side. You basically bite a little bit of tofu or tempe, followed by biting a little bit of the chili pepper and chewing them together. Eating it this way slightly reduces the heat from the pepper.

As mentioned earlier, dishes from Central Java tend to be sweeter. Some people may like it even sweeter than my version. If so, add more sugar. During boiling, taste the liquid and add more sugar if needed.

This recipe serves 2-3 people.

Ingredients:

10 oz tempeh
14 oz firm tofu, rinsed and patted dry
3 small shallots or 1 large shallot, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
65 grams palm sugar or to taste. If you cannot find palm sugar, you can use brown sugar.
2 bay leaves
1.5 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 teaspoon galangal powder
1 teaspoon tamarind paste, mixed with 1 tablespoon boiling water to soften it. Discard the pulp of tamarind. We will use the tamarind water only.
4 cups coconut water
1/2 cup water. You may not need to add water depending on the whether you have enough coconut water to cover tofu and tempeh in the pot. On the other hand, if 1/2 cup water is not enough to cover tofu and tempeh in the pot, please add more water.
For frying: vegetable oil
Optional: Thai chili peppers

Methods:

If your tempeh comes in 1 piece, cut tempeh into half lengthwise. Cut each piece into half. Cut each piece diagonally so that it becomes triangle. You can cut the tempeh according to your preference. However, don't cut it too small since it could break off easily during boiling if too small and would also be more difficult to handle during frying.
If your tofu comes in 1 piece, cut tofu into half lengthwise. Cut each piece into half. Cut each piece into another half. You can cut the tofu according to your preference. However, don't cut it too small since it could break off during boiling and would be harder to handle during frying.
Place all cut tofu and tempeh into a pot. Place all remaining ingredients, except the vegetable oil into the pot. Please note that the amount of water to use is dependent on whether you have enough liquid to cover tofu and tempeh in the pot. So, if 4 cups of coconut water is enough to cover tofu and tempeh, don't add water. On the other hand, if 4 cups of coconut water is not enough to cover tofu and tempeh in the pot, add 1/2 cup water first. If it is still not enough, add more water. Stir the liquid to mix the seasoning.
Heat the pot over high heat and bring it to a boil. Once the liquid is boiling, turn over the tofu and tempeh so that the top side of them faces down. In this way, every side of the tofu and tempeh get marinated evenly with the spices. Reduce the heat to low. Taste the liquid and add more sugar if needed. During cooking, make sure you turn over tofu and tempe several times to make sure all sides are evenly marinated during cooking. Continue cooking them until the liquid has been evaporated or at least only 1/3 of them remaining. Remove the pot from the heat. Using slotted spoon, take the tofu and tempeh and place them on a colander to drain excess liquid. Let them cool down.
Once tofu and tempeh have cooled down, heat vegetable oil on a deep frying pan. Heat the oil over medium high heat. Remove left over chopped garlic or shallots on the surface of tofu and tempeh so that it won't get burned during frying. Place tofu and tempeh on the pan to fry them. You may have to fry them in batches since you don't want to overcrowd the pan. Once the bottom side is golden brown, turn it over so that it can brown the other side. Make sure you don't turn it over too soon because tofu has the tendency to stick to the pan when it has not yet developed the crust on the surface. So, give at least 1.5 min before you turn it over. Once all sides have been golden brown, remove and place them on a plate lined with paper towel. Continue frying the remaining tofu and tempeh. Once all of them have been fried, turn off the heat.
Serve tofu and tempeh while they are still warm. Serve it with Thai chili peppers on the side if preferred.

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