Tahu isi: crispy Indonesian stuffed tofu

A crispy coating around vegetables

Tahu isi literally means stuffed tofu. For this version, use tahu pong: tofu that has already been deep-fried and has a light, hollow centre. You can often find it at an Indonesian grocery store. Here, the tofu is the main event; the cabbage, carrot and bean sprouts make a juicy, slightly crunchy filling. Chop the vegetables finely so you can fill the cavities without splitting them open. Bean sprouts wilt quickly, so they only need a short time to warm through.

The filling is first cooked in a frying pan. This isn’t just about flavour: raw vegetables release moisture inside the tofu and can make the batter soggy from within. After cooking, let the filling steam off and cool for a while before stuffing the tofu. A thin batter of flour and rice flour makes a light crust; rice flour helps it fry up crisp. If you don’t have rice flour, use flour on its own. The result will be a little less crisp, but it still works.

Tahu pong is handy because the cavity is already there. If you can’t find it, you can carefully hollow out large, firm blocks of tofu. Pat them thoroughly dry and handle them gently; fresh tofu is more delicate than pre-fried tofu. Tahu pong varies in size from shop to shop. So divide the filling between the cavities rather than packing it all in: leaving a small opening makes stuffing easier and helps prevent the tofu from splitting. Keep the batter thin enough to coat the outside without completely hiding the shape of the vegetables.

Deep-fry in a sturdy pan with a layer of oil, working in batches if needed. A temperature of about 170 °C lets the batter turn golden before the filling dries out. If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a little batter into the oil: it should start bubbling straight away and gradually turn golden brown, not darken immediately. Drain the fried tofu on a rack or paper towels and serve warm. Sambal rawit brings a sharp, immediate heat; add a little lime juice if you’d like a fresher contrast. Tahu isi works as a starter alongside other Indonesian snacks, or as a snack with a bowl of soup.

The tofu is best soon after frying, while the crust is still crisp. Leftovers can be covered and refrigerated within two hours, then eaten within two days. Reheat them thoroughly in an oven until piping hot all the way through; the crust will usually be less crisp than when freshly fried. Don’t store them at room temperature or leave warm tofu sitting out on the table for long.