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Tahu dan Tempe Bacem (Braised Spiced Tofu and Tempeh)-Tofu and Tempeh are braised in aromatic spices and herbs and then pan-fried for a healthier version.
The first time I learned of Tahu dan Tempe Bacem was when I lived in Jakarta for a short 1 year. Almost every day I had these for dinner 🙂 They were quickly becoming my favorite snacks. Tahu dan tempe bacem are originated from Central Java. The tofu and tempe are braised in coconut water and spices like coriander seeds, shallots, galangal, bay leaves, and palm sugar and then deep-fried. I didn’t use coconut water in this recipe, but trust me, they still turn out delicious.
I like the smell and taste of coriander seeds or we called it as ketumbar in Indonesian language. I think that’s what makes this tahu dan tempe bacem special to me. The taste and smell profile of ketumbar is completely different with coriander leaves/cilantro leaves if you are wondering. Coriander seeds are widely used in Indonesian kitchen. I hate grinding up spices too, so you can find the powder version, I have no problem using them versus the fresh ingredients. I updated this recipe and make it more simple and doable even for those who are not familiar with Indonesian cooking.
Tahu dan Tempe Bacem (Braised Spiced Tofu and Tempeh)
Ingredients
- 400 gr extra firm tofu cut into 3 x 3- inch
- 500 gr tempe cut into triangles
- 4 cups coconut water you may need more
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil divided
Spices to grind:
- 1 tsp coriander seeds or 1 Tbsp coriander powder
- 1 inch galangal roots or 1 Tbsp galangal powder
- 3 shallots peeled and finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and finely minced
Herb:
Seasonings:
- 3 Tbsp kecap manis or sweet soy sauce
- 100 gr coconut sugar or use 60 gr brown sugar
- 1 tsp Salt
Instructions
- Place spices to grind in a food processor and grind into a paste. Add a bit oil to help it goes if needed
Braising the tofu and tempe:
- Place the cut tofu and tempeh inside a large pot, add in 4 cups of coconut water until it just barely covers the tofu and tempeh. Add more if it's not enough. Add ground spices, bay leaves, and seasonings. Bring to a boil and then lower to let them gently simmer until the water evaporates half and then turn the tofu and tempeh over and boil until the water is almost all evaporated and the spices are absorbed
- Remove from the pot and let them cool down
Pan frying tofu and tempe:
- Preheat oil and pan fried the tofu on all sides until golden brown before serving and serve with chili if you like
17 comments
When you say sweet soy sauce do you mean kecap manis? Or what specifically? Planning to make this for a potluck this weekend based on your blog!
Made these last week – HOLY SH*T! I’ve been eating tempeh and tofu for years and was skeptical of this recipe never having braised tempeh before but thought I’d give it a try. Wow, really wow! So much flavor got packed in there. I will be making this again. What I really likes about it was that I could braise a bunch of tempeh at once on the weekend then sear it the night I wanted to eat it.
So good!
Hi Michelle,
I’m sooo glad to hear that you like it!! I love to braise because the flavor can really get into whatever you are braising it in 🙂 Yes, definitely a great idea to braise them ahead and then just pan fry or sear them when you want to eat them! Thank you so much for letting me know! Made my day 🙂
That tofu is mouth-watering! This all looks so delicious!
I made the tofu and tempe bacem, delicious. I added shallots/red onion to the spice paste. Your intro mentioned shallots but don’t see shallots listed on the recipe. I don’t do deep frying so I just put them under broiler after the shimmering. Love this.
Hi Kris,
Sorry, I forgot to add in the shallots after updating the recipe. I think they taste good even without deep-frying 🙂
I am so glad I found your website. I’m always looking for simple Indonesian recipe but usually had to translate/convert the ingredients first before cooking. Can’t wait to try this recipe. Making hubby go back to simple food–too much meat makes high blood pressure 🙂
Hi Nova,
Thank you for stopping by. I’m glad you arrived here 🙂 and hope that you find this site useful for your purpose as well. Let me know how it turns out if you will 🙂