Cherry & Dennis Recipes
Indonesian Sweet Soy Tempeh Orek
印尼甜豉油炒天貝
Recipe overview
Indonesian tempeh orek pan-fries tempeh until crisp, then coats it with shallot, garlic, chilli and sweet soy sauce for a sticky savoury-sweet side.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 400 g tempeh (cut into 5 cm batons)
- 5 shallots (thinly sliced)
- 3 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
- 2 red chillies (sliced diagonally)
Spices and seasoning
- 4 tbsp cooking oil
- 3 tbsp sweet soy sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 60 ml water
- to taste salt
02
Tools
- kitchen knife
- cutting board
- kitchen paper
- mixing bowl
- small bowl
- measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- frying pan
- spatula
- kitchen tongs
- serving plate
03
Steps
Step 1
Inspect the tempeh
Use firm tempeh with even white culture and a fresh nutty smell; discard pink, green-black mould or rotten odour.
Step 2
Cut the tempeh
Cut 400 g tempeh into even batons about 5 cm long and 1 cm thick.
Step 3
Dry the tempeh
Pat the tempeh dry with kitchen paper to reduce splattering.
Step 4
Slice the aromatics
Thinly slice the shallots and garlic and diagonally slice the red chillies, keeping them separate.
Step 5
Mix the sauce
Stir together 3 tablespoons sweet soy, 1 tablespoon light soy, 1 teaspoon sugar and 60 ml water.
Step 6
Heat the oil
Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a frying pan over medium heat for 1 minute until shimmering.
Step 7
Fry the first side
Arrange tempeh in one layer and fry for 3 minutes until golden underneath.
Step 8
Turn and crisp
Turn each piece and fry for 3 minutes more, then lift out when golden on all sides.
Step 9
Sauté the aromatics
Leave about 1 tablespoon oil and stir-fry shallot, garlic and chilli over medium-low heat for 2 minutes.
Step 10
Reduce the sauce
Pour in the mixed sauce and bubble for 2–3 minutes until syrupy.
Step 11
Coat the tempeh
Return tempeh and toss over high heat for 1–2 minutes until every baton is evenly glazed.
Step 12
Season and serve
Turn off the heat, taste and add salt only if needed, then rest 3 minutes before serving.
Common mistakes
- Adding sauce before the tempeh browns makes it soft.
- Stopping before the sauce reduces leaves a watery coating.
Tips
Cut even batons so every piece crisps at the same rate.
The glaze becomes stickier as it cools, making it lunchbox-friendly.
