Kering Tempeh with Peanuts and Tamarind

Keep It Crisp, Let the Sauce Shine

Kering tempeh is an Indonesian preparation built around contrast: crisp tempeh paired with a sticky, sweet-and-spicy sauce. The name kering means dry; here, the tempeh is fried until crisp first, then mixed with the sauce. The exact ingredients vary from one household and recipe to another. Peanuts add a nutty bite, while tamarind balances the palm sugar with a fruity tartness.

Tempeh is fermented soybeans pressed into a firm cake. Slice it as evenly as possible into thin strips: thinner pieces crisp up faster, and pieces of the same thickness cook more evenly. Fry in batches if the pan would otherwise be too crowded; an overcrowded pan cools down, and the tempeh is more likely to turn soft than crisp. Drain the fried strips well. The sauce doesn’t need to become thick like caramel: it’s ready when it’s syrupy enough to cling to the ingredients.

Tamarind paste varies in tartness and concentration from brand to brand. Start with the stated amount and taste the sauce before adding the tempeh. If it’s too sweet, add a little more tamarind; if it’s too tart, let a little extra palm sugar dissolve into it. Dark palm sugar, such as gula jawa, gives a deep caramel flavor. Light palm sugar works too. If you don’t have palm sugar, use soft brown sugar, but keep in mind that the flavor will be a little different. Peanuts are best unsalted and roasted; you can briefly roast unsalted peanuts in the oven or in a pan.

Serve kering tempeh with warm rice and vegetable dishes, for example with refreshing cucumber or a vegetable dish with little sauce. This way, the crisp tempeh remains a clear contrast and the plate doesn’t become too heavy with sweet, sticky flavors. It’s better to serve the dish on the side rather than mix it into a wet dish. Don’t add a moist garnish; it will soften the crisp coating more quickly.

For the best texture, eat the dish soon after making it. If you want to keep some, spread it out to cool and refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container within two hours. Use within two days. The tempeh may soften in the fridge; spread the leftovers on a baking sheet and warm them briefly in an oven at 160 °C until heated through. Let them cool for a moment before serving. Don’t store it at room temperature for an extended period: the sticky sauce means this isn’t a dry, shelf-stable snack.