Crispy Tempeh Kecap

Tempeh kecap in a woven basket on top of parchment paper.

Crispy, sweet and spicy is what you’re getting with Indonesian tempeh kecap! It’s easy to make, needs just one pan and will be ready in under 30 minutes.

Course Side

Cuisine Indonesian

Diet Vegan

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 335kcal

Author Jess & Dan

Ingredients

400 g tempeh – chopped into matchsticks
0.5 cup peanuts (skin on if possible)
4 cloves garlic – crushed
1 tablespoon ginger – chopped finely
4 kaffir lime leaves – chopped into thin slices (use scissors)
3 tablespoon kecap manis
3 shallots – chopped finely
3 red chillies – chopped into slices
1 stick lemongrass – whole
8 curry leaves
2 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoon light soy sauce
Oil - cover the pan with a 0.5cm layer

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Slice the tempeh into long narrow strips.
400 g tempeh
Take a wok or sauté pan and cover the bottom of it with around half a centimetre of oil. It shouldn’t completely cover the tempeh pieces. Heat on high and then pan fry the tempeh strips until they’re golden and crispy.
400 g tempeh, Oil
While the tempeh pan fries, add in the peanuts to toast them off too. Altogether this frying process should take 10-15 minutes. If there's not enough space in the pan, you can remove the tempe first, and then fry off the peanuts for a couple of minutes.
0.5 cup peanuts
Once golden and crispy, remove the tempeh from the pan and allow them to sit on a plate lined with paper towels, to let any excess oil drip off. Set aside.
Wipe the pan clean, or use as-is, and pop back onto a medium heat on the stove. Optionally add a splash of oil or use oil spray (we prefer oil spray for this step), then add in the garlic, shallots, chillies, ginger, lemongrass, curry leaves and kaffir lime leaves. Cook for 3-5 minutes until fragrant.
4 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon ginger, 4 kaffir lime leaves, 3 red chillies, 1 stick lemongrass, 8 curry leaves, 3 shallots
Finally, add in the tempeh, peanuts, kecap manis, light soy sauce and sugar. Stir well. Make sure it is all heated through and that the tempeh is well coated with the sauce. Remove the lemongrass and serve.
3 tablespoon kecap manis, 2 tablespoon light soy sauce, 2 tablespoon brown sugar

Notes

Red chilli – it should have the seeds and membranes intact. Remove if you would prefer a mild tempe kecap.
Storage – keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge. We don’t recommend freezing, as the tempeh will lose its crunchiness upon reheating. It is best served freshly cooked.
Tempeh can be bought or homemade. We recommend the brand Plant Power.
We recommend that this recipe serves 8 as a side, or as part of a nasi campur. It is usually served in small quantities, as part of a well-rounded meal.

Nutrition