1/23 Tempe Manis with Norah at 2pm ET
A stir-fry that is rich, sweet and spicy with roots in Indonesia and Singapore
This dish is traditionally, but widely available in the nasi padang food stalls in Singapore, where Norah was born and raised. This dish matters because tempe came to Singapore by way of Javanese traders centuries ago and its availability speaks not only to the location of Singapore as being situated within the Malay Archipelago but also to Singapore's multiethnic and multicultural heritage. 'Manis' means sweet in Bahasa and this dish is the perfect balanced combination of sweet, spicy, and savory while being satisfyingly crunchy.
Ingredients:
1-2 Soybean tempe patty
Shallots
Garlic
Indonesian-style sweet soy sauce
Lemongrass (bruised and knotted)
Bay Leaf
Sambal (any variety)
Peanuts (optional)
Dried anchovies (optional)
Recipe:
Thinly slice the soybean block or patty and shallow fry the pieces until golden brown.
Transfer them to a bowl with a strainer to drain any excess oil.
If using tamarind, mix 1 tsp with half a cup of water to make it into tamarind juice and keep aside in a small bowl.
Finely slice the shallots, garlic, and kaffir lime leaf (stems removed). Bruise and knot the white part of a lemongrass stalk if using. Prepare a saucepan with 1-2 tbsp of cooking oil and turn on the gas.
When the oil in the saucepan is sufficiently hot, toss in the shallots and bay leaf first and when they've softened slightly, add in the garlic slices with the kaffir lime leaves/knotted lemongrass.
Continue to saute and when shallots and garlic appear translucent, drizzle kecap manis (or combine 1/4 cup of soy sauce with 2-3 tsp tablespoon of sugar and add that instead) into the saucepan and dollop your desired amount of sambal.
Mix to combine in the saucepan. Remove the knotted lemongrass at this point if using.
Pour in the tamarind juice at this point if using. Otherwise, just add a half cup of water to make the glaze for the tempe.
Adjust the heat to make sure the glaze mixture is carmelizing without getting burnt. Add the dried anchovies and peanuts at this point if using.
When the glaze appears shiny and is no longer watery, reduce the heat and toss in the golden brown tempeh slices and stir to coat evenly with the glaze.
About Our Teacher
Norah Ylang is the founder of ‘Handcrafted Ferments by Norah’ focusing on fermentation education. Whether in private in-home or virtual Zoom classes, she imparts the science and craft of various ferments. Currently, Norah teaches workshops on sauerkraut, kimchi, tempeh, kombucha, yogurt (dairy & non-dairy), and short-term koji ferments (shio koji, amazake, & shiro miso). Born and raised in Singapore, Norah started fermenting tempeh as a way of recreating fond food memories from her home country. She has since entered a fermentation rabbit hole and is constantly expanding her repertoire. Her academic training in the social sciences shapes her scientifically-informed approach to understanding the principles of fermentation. She has published research and holds degrees from the National University of Singapore and Arizona State University. Check out her fermentation adventures on Instagram: @fermentsbynorah