by Chandra Drews

Tahu isi by Annisa Alwita

One of my favourite childhood snacks, this stuffed tofu dish is one of the main starts of Indonesian fried street food (gorengan). I mean think about it for a minute, it’s fried tofu, hollowed out in the middle, stuff with veggie goodness, sealed up with batter, and then deep fried again for a second time. Indonesian street food at its finest…

And since we at Latitudes are oh-so-nice people, here is the recipe for you to try at home:

Tahu Isi Recipe:

Ingredients for 4 people:

1 extra-firm tofu

50 g bean sprouts

50g carrots, cut thinly

50 g cabbage, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 shallots, sliced

1 tsp chopped celery

1/2 tsp white pepper

1/2 tsp salt

100 g rice flour

1 tbsp tapioca starch

1 tsp coriander, toasted and ground

125 cc cold water (4°C)

1 tsp turmeric powder

How to Make Tahu Isi:

1.    Cut the tofu into 8 even sized triangles.

2.    Deep fry the tofu till golden brown.

3.    Drain the tofus and cut rectangle shaped holes at the base of the tofu.

4.    In a wok, stir fry the bean sprouts, shallots, garlic, celery, white pepper, carrots and cabbage until cooked. Add a dash of fish sauce for that extra zinginess.

5.    In a separate bowl, mix the flours, coriander, turmeric, salt, pepper and water evenly.

6.    Stuff the hollow tofus with the vegetable mix and dip into batter. Make sure the hole is completely sealed with the batter before deep frying for a second time. Once the batter is golden brown, drain, pat with a paper towel, and it’s ready to be served. I’d recommend eating the tofus with some birds eye chillies for that authentic Indonesian experience.

Selamat makan!