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Pepes tahu
Tofu and basil in banana leaf
Pepes tahu (pepes tahu): Sundanese tofu, egg and basil parcels steamed and then grilled in banana leaf
In Bandung and the hills of West Java, pepes means anything wrapped in banana leaf, steamed and then charred over coals, and pepes tahu is the everyday meat-free one, eaten at lunch with rice, raw vegetables and sambal. Mashed tofu is bound with egg, shallot, chilli, lemon basil and lime leaf, so it sets into a soft, fragrant, smoky cake inside its leaf. Each portion has about 150 g of tofu and most of an egg, giving roughly 24 g of protein, from the tofu and eggs. The common mistake is skipping the steaming and going straight to the grill: the outside burns while the egg in the middle stays raw. Chef's tip: steam first until the filling is firm right through, then grill only to scorch the leaf and add smoke.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the filling
- 1 ⅓ lb firm tofudrained and patted dry
- 3 eggsbeaten
- ⅔ oz lemon basil (kemangi) or Thai basilleaves picked
- 4 kaffir lime leavesvery finely shredded
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
For the spice paste
- 5 shallots
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¾ in galangalchopped
For wrapping
- 8 banana leavescut into 25 cm squares, softened in hot water
- 1 tomatosliced
- 4 bird's eye chillies (optional)whole
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Blend 5 shallots, 3 garlic cloves, 3 red chillies, ½ tsp ground turmeric and ¾ in galangal into a fine paste.
Step 2: Mash 1 ⅓ lb firm tofu in a bowl with a fork until it looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in the paste, 3 eggs, 0.6 oz lemon basil (kemangi) or Thai basil, 4 kaffir lime leaves, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp sugar until evenly mixed.
5 minStep 3: Lay two squares of 8 banana leaves on top of each other, shiny side up. Spoon a quarter of the mixture in the centre, top with slices of 1 tomato, a little of the rest of ⅛ oz lemon basil (kemangi) or Thai basil and a 4 bird's eye chillies. Fold into a tight parcel and pin the ends with cocktail sticks. Make 4.
10 minStep 4: Steam the parcels over boiling water for 25 minutes. They are done when a skewer pushed into the middle comes out clean, with no runny egg, and the filling feels firm.
25 minStep 5: Heat a grill pan or barbecue to medium-high and cook the parcels for 4–5 minutes a side, until the leaves are charred in patches and smell smoky.
10 minStep 6: Serve the parcels whole and unwrap them at the table, with rice and sambal.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 270 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pepes tahu take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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