Tempe Kriuk Renyah (Crunchy Deep Fried Tempeh)

This crunchy-deep-fried-protein-packed tempeh is one of the classic ways to prepare Tempeh and not to mention, it’s crispy and delicious. Tempeh is an Indonesian fermented soybean and can be seen as tofu counterpart because both are made from soybeans. Tempeh is a great source of proteins, especially for vegan or vegetarians. There are quite a few varieties of Tempeh now – made from different types of beans. Also, Tempeh is very versatile and easy to prepare – you can deep-fry, stir-fry just like orak-arik tempe, put it in a soup, and so on.

However, this crunchy deep-fried tempeh (Tempe Kriuk Renyah) is a very common snack in Indonesia as it is probably the simplest or the most popular way of cooking tempeh. The deep-fried tempeh is sold everywhere by street food vendor in their carts, small booth stalls, and sometimes in fancy restaurants. You can eat it just the way they are or, for spicy food lover, eat it along with raw Thai chili. Crunchy, tasty, and a good source of proteins – this crispy deep-fried tempeh is definitely one snack that I can’t get enough of.

Tip: It’s easier to cut the Tempeh when it is under room temperature – not when it is still frozen. Also, use a sharp knife and do not hesitate when slicing it thinly – it will prevent the tempeh from crumbling.

Ingredient:

• 1 package (10 oz) tempeh
• 200 gr rice flour
• 100 gr tapioca starch
• 2 stalks scallion – thinly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic – grated
• 1 egg
• 350ml water
• Vegetable oil to fry

Dried spices

• 1 teaspoon galangal powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 2 teaspoon dried basil powder
• Salt and pepper

Direction:

• In a large mixing bowl, add all the dried spices ingredients. Mix thoroughly.
• Then, add rice flour, tapioca starch, chopped scallion, grated garlic, egg, and give a good stir.
• While stirring, add water little by little to ensure that the batter is mixed well.
• Then, set aside the batter and put it in a refrigerator for about 15-30 minutes.
• In the meantime, thinly sliced Tempeh to about ½ cm thin if possible. It’s best to cut the tempeh when it is under room temperature.
• Heat up the oil in a frying pan under medium heat.
• Once heated, coat the sliced tempeh with the refrigerated batter and place it carefully in the frying pan. Make sure you do not overcrowd the pan. Fry until the fritters is golden brown or about 3 minutes each side.
• Keep frying until all the tempeh slices are all gone.
• Serve and enjoy!