Orak Arik Tempe Kecap Pedas Manis (Sweet and Spicy Scrambled Tempeh)

I cannot believe that I found Tempe the other day at my local grocery store! Wohoo… believe it or not, it is one of my favorite childhood meal. It is soooo tough or I should say that it is almost very very impossible to find Tempeh in the States. Yes, it is THAT hard to get Tempeh, (edit: now, we can get Tempeh on Amazon wohoo!) as not very many people know what Tempeh is. On the opposite side, back in my home country, it is everywhere in every market in Indonesia. It is impossible to miss the banana-leaf-wrapped Tempeh if you go to the local market in Indonesia. Also, this dish of Orak Arik Tempe Kecap Pedas Manis (Sweet and Spicy Scrambled Tempeh) can be found in many small family-run restaurants to 5-star hotel.

Anyway, let me tell you a little bit about Tempeh. You can read more about it here. Tempeh is a product made from soybean as it is made naturally from a fermentation process. It is regarded as having higher protein content, dietary fiber and vitamins COMPARED TO Tofu. It has a nutty, meaty, or mushroom-like flavor. You can prepare Tempeh easily as what you normally prepare for tofu or mushroom.

One of the ways to prepare it is to scramble it, just like this Orak Arik Tempe Kecap Pedas Manis (Sweet and Spicy Scrambled Tempeh). This recipe has the perfect combination of sweet, spicy, and savory flavor, all combined in one simple dish. Orak Arik Tempe is not overly spicy or sweet. It is even better when you eat it with warm and fluffy white rice. Mmmm… let’s just get cooking, shall we?

Tip: Depending on your spice level, you can add or reduce the amount of Thai chili used in this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz Tempeh – diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 3 shallot – sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 Thai chili – sliced into small pieces
• 4 tablespoons sweet soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Vegetable oil for frying
• Salt and Pepper

Directions:

• Marinate the tempeh with salt and pepper. Set it aside for about 5 minutes.
• Pre-heat the vegetable oil in a deep-pan for frying the tempeh or you can use a deep fryer heated on 325 degree Fahrenheit.
• Once heated, deep-fry the tempeh until it is brownish. Take it out and cool it down on a plate.
• Pre-heat the olive oil in a stir-frying pan. Once heated, add garlic, shallot and mix it until it is fragrant.
• Add the bay leaves and cook until it is a bit wilted.
• Then, add the fried tempeh and stir it well.
• Add chili, sweet soy sauce, salt and pepper. Mix it until the tempeh is coated well.
• Turn off the heat and serve while it is hot. Enjoy!