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Tempe bacem
Sweet braised tempeh
Tempe bacem (tempe bacem): Javanese tempeh braised sweet in coconut water and palm sugar, then seared
Every warung in Yogyakarta and Solo has a tray of tempe bacem on the counter, dark, sticky and sweet, eaten at lunch with rice, sambal and a few raw cucumber slices, or packed for journeys because it keeps so well. The tempeh is simmered slowly in coconut water with palm sugar, galangal, coriander seed and bay leaf until the liquid has gone and every slab is glazed, then seared briefly so the edges caramelise. A portion of about 150 g of tempeh gives roughly 28 g of protein, nearly all from the fermented soybeans. The common mistake is turning the heat up to hurry the braise: the sugar catches and turns bitter before the tempeh has soaked anything up. Chef's tip: make it a day ahead; bacem tastes deeper after a night in the fridge and sears better cold.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the braise
- 1 ⅓ lb tempehcut into slabs about 1 cm thick and 5 cm long
- 2 cups coconut wateror plain water
- 2 ⅞ oz palm sugargrated or chopped
- 1 tbsp tamarind paste
- 1 ⅝ in galangalsliced and bruised
- 3 Indonesian bay leaves (daun salam)or 2 ordinary bay leaves
- 1 tsp salt
For the spice paste
- 6 shallotspeeled
- 2 tsp coriander seedstoasted
- 2 candlenuts (optional)or 4 macadamia nuts
To finish
- 3 tbsp vegetable oilfor searing
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Grind 6 shallots, 4 garlic cloves, 2 tsp coriander seeds and 2 candlenuts to a fine paste in a pestle and mortar or small blender, adding a splash of the coconut water if it sticks.
Step 2: Lay 1 ⅓ lb tempeh in a wide pan in one or two layers. Add the spice paste, 2 cups coconut water, 2 ⅞ oz palm sugar, 1 tbsp tamarind paste, 1 ⅝ in galangal, 3 Indonesian bay leaves (daun salam) and 1 tsp salt, and stir gently so the liquid covers the slabs.
5 minStep 3: Bring to the boil, then lower to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered, turning the slabs every 10 minutes, until almost all the liquid has gone and what is left is a thick, dark syrup that coats the tempeh. Keep the heat low at the end: this is when it can burn.
40 minStep 4: Lift the tempeh onto a plate and let it cool for a few minutes so the glaze firms. Discard the galangal and bay leaves.
5 minStep 5: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and sear the tempeh for 1–2 minutes a side, until the edges are deep brown and lightly crisp but not black.
5 minStep 6: Serve warm or at room temperature with rice and sambal. It keeps for 4 days in the fridge.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tempe bacem take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 50 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 vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of palm sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of indonesian bay leaves (daun salam)?
- Leave it out, or a pinch of dried thyme (it's a background flavour).
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