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Tahu tek
Fried tofu with peanut sauce
Tahu tek (tahu tek): Surabaya street-stall fried tofu, potato and egg under a thick peanut sauce
After dark in Surabaya, the tahu tek seller's cart is easy to find: listen for the tek-tek-tek of scissors snipping fried tofu, potato and egg into bite-sized pieces straight onto the plate, before it all disappears under bean sprouts, cucumber and a thick peanut sauce. It is a supper dish, filling and saucy. The street version stirs petis, a black shrimp paste, into the sauce; this vegetarian version leaves it out and gets its depth from sweet soy, tamarind and fried garlic instead. A portion gives about 32 g of protein, from the tofu, egg and peanuts. The common mistake is making the sauce too thin; it should be thick enough to sit on top of the tofu. Chef's tip: grind the peanuts with the garlic and chilli while the fried peanuts are still warm, so the oil releases and the sauce turns creamy.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the plate
- 1 ⅓ lb firm tofucut into 4 blocks, patted dry
- 14 oz waxy potatoespeeled
- 4 eggs
- 1 ¾ cups vegetable oilfor frying
- 5 ½ oz bean sprouts
- 1 cucumbersliced
For the peanut sauce
- 5 ½ oz raw peanutsskins on or off
- 3 red chilliesor more to taste
- 1 tbsp tamarind paste
- 1 tbsp palm sugargrated
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup hot waterabout
To serve
- 3 tbsp crispy fried shallots (optional)
- 8 plain rice or cassava crackers (optional)check they contain no shrimp
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Put 4 eggs in a pan of cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for 9 minutes, until the yolks are firm. Cool in cold water and peel.
12 minStep 2: Boil 14 oz waxy potatoes in salted water for 15–20 minutes, until a knife slides in easily. Drain and slice thickly.
20 minStep 3: Heat 1 ¾ cups vegetable oil in a wok or deep pan to 350°F. Fry 5 ½ oz raw peanuts for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until golden brown; lift out with a slotted spoon.
4 minStep 4: Fry 1 ⅓ lb firm tofu in the same oil for 6–8 minutes, turning, until puffed and deep golden all over. Drain on kitchen paper. The most common mistake is pulling the tofu out pale; it needs a proper crust to hold the sauce.
8 minStep 5: Grind the warm peanuts with 3 garlic cloves and 3 red chillies in a blender or pestle and mortar to a thick paste. Mix in 3 tbsp kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), 1 tbsp tamarind paste, 1 tbsp palm sugar and ½ tsp salt, then loosen with ¾ cup hot water until it is as thick as yoghurt.
Step 6: Blanch 5 ½ oz bean sprouts in boiling water for 30 seconds and drain.
1 minStep 7: Snip or cut the tofu, potato and eggs into bite-sized pieces and divide between plates. Scatter over 5 ½ oz bean sprouts and 1 cucumber.
Step 8: Spoon the peanut sauce generously over the top, and finish with 3 tbsp crispy fried shallots and 8 plain rice or cassava crackers.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 640 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 38 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tahu tek take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 25 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.
- What can I use instead of waxy potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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