Tahu Goreng — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Crispy deep-fried tofu cubes served over a bed of bean sprouts and cucumber, doused in a luscious, spicy-sweet peanut sauce with kecap manis and a squeeze of lime.

Ingredients

400g firm tofu, cut into cubes
200g bean sprouts, blanched
1 cucumber, diced
Vegetable oil for frying
Peanut sauce: 150g roasted peanuts, ground
3 cloves garlic
5 bird's eye chilies
3 tbsp kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
2 tbsp tamarind water
1 tbsp palm sugar
Salt
200ml warm water
Lime juice
Fried shallots
Kerupuk

Instructions

1 Deep-fry tofu cubes at 180°C (350°F) for 5-6 minutes until golden and crispy on all sides. Drain on paper.
2 Make peanut sauce: pound garlic and chilies in a mortar. Mix with ground peanuts, kecap manis, tamarind water, palm sugar, salt, and warm water until smooth and pourable.
3 Arrange blanched bean sprouts on a plate. Top with cucumber and crispy fried tofu.
4 Pour generous peanut sauce over everything.
5 Garnish with fried shallots and serve with kerupuk on the side. Squeeze lime juice over the top.

Did You Know?

Indonesian peanut sauce varies dramatically by region — Javanese versions are sweeter with more kecap manis, while Sundanese versions are spicier and tangier.