Recipes

Bali BBQ Fried Tempeh

Serves 4

| Prep Time: 10 mins

| Cook Time: 15 mins

| Total Time: 25 mins

You may need: Bali BBQ

Discover The Recipe

Finding delicious and healthy plant-based recipes shouldn't be difficult, but it often feels that way because most of us do our searching when hungry and tired. This Bali BBQ Fried Tempeh recipe is an easy, healthy recipe inspired by the multi-cultural flavors of Indonesia and is a winner. Those familiar with a vegan diet have heard of Tempeh, the main protein in this dish. Tempeh originates in Indonesia and is a fundamental part of vegan / vegetarian cuisine not only in Southeast Asia but around the world, owing to its versatility and ability to work as a high protein meat substitute that is cholesterol-free, low in fat and packed with essential nutrients. Tempeh consists of fermented soybeans shaped into a dense cake form. Despite its nutty flavor, Tempeh has the ability to absorb any flavor that you add to it and holds its shape well during long cooking times.

Indonesian cuisine is known for its spicy, aromatic, and exotic flavors. In fact, a group of islands in East Indonesia called the “Maluku” (or Molucca) islands are known as the “spice islands”. Indigenous spices like nutmeg and clove were valuable global exports on the Silk Road for a millennium. Our proprietary Bali BBQ spice expertly integrates native Indonesian flavors to this recipe. Combined with rice flour and sea salt we make an aromatic dredge to coat the bite-sized Tempeh pieces thoroughly then shallow fry them. This creates a crisp and golden exterior. It doesn’t stop there, we also whisk the Bali BBQ blend into a creamy Indo-inspired peanut sauce complemented by a spicy Indonesian chili condiment called ‘Sambal Oelek’. Savory bites of tempeh are punctuated by the slightly sweet-heat flavor profile in a nod to classic Indonesian cuisine. Use the Bali BBQ blend on everything from steaks, to grilled chicken, to roasted veggies.

Ingredients

Indonesian Peanut Sauce
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 Tbsp sambal oelek (Sriracha sauce is a great alternative)
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp chili oil
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp Piquant Post Bali BBQ
Salt and pepper to taste
Fried Tempeh
2 cups frying oil (we used peanut oil but canola or vegetable oil can also work)
2 cakes tempeh
1/4 cup rice flour (or use all purpose flour)
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 tsp Piquant Post Bali BBQ

Notes

Sambal oelek is an Indonesian chili sauce that can be tricky to find outside of International markets. You can use sriracha instead if you have trouble finding the sambal.

Tempeh is a delicious meat substitute! If you don’t like its unique texture and nutty flavor, try making this dish with tofu instead.

Instructions

To make the peanut sauce, whisk together the peanut butter, samba, maple syrup, sea salt, chili oil, rice vinegar, Piquant Post Bali BBQ, and pinch of sea salt. Set aside until ready to use.

To prepare the tempeh, slice the tempeh into 1” wide pieces. Stir together the rice flour, sea salt and Piquant Post Bali BBQ. Lightly coat each piece of tempeh on both sides.

In a deep sided skillet, heat about 1” of cooking oil until hot. Add the tempeh to the skillet and cook for 2-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain excess oil.

To serve the tempeh, place them fried tempeh on a plate with the peanut sauce and some hot sauce like sambal or sriracha if desired.

Alternatives & Substitutions

This fried tempeh is delicious when added to a stir fry with a sticky spice sauce! Try this Indonesian Spicy Sweet Tempeh, or these Sticky Balinese Wings.
This tempeh would make a delicious addition to a vegetarian spread of Indonesian dishes, like our vegan Gado Gado, Bali BBQ Veggie Stir Fry, or our Balinese BBQ Mushroom Skewers.
For the meat lovers, try our recipes for Balinese Sticky Glazed Pork Ribs, Bali-Spiced Strip Steak, or our mouth watering Balinese Pork.
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