Entree: Indonesia – Indonesian Street Food – Pempek (Palembang-style fish cakes made from ground fish and tapioca, served with a spicy-sweet vinegar sauce)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 40 min

Cook 20 min

Total 1 hr

Ingredients

- 1 lb (454 g) white fish fillets (tenggiri, pollock, or mackerel), skinned and boned
- 1 cup (140 g) tapioca starch
- 2 tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp (5 g) salt
- 1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) white pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large egg, approx. 50 g (for dough)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) ice water, plus more as needed
- 4 large eggs, approx. 50 g each (for kapal selam filling)
- 2 cups (480 ml) vegetable oil for deep-frying
Cuko (spicy-sweet vinegar sauce)
- 1 cup (200 g) palm sugar (gula Jawa) or dark brown sugar
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) water
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) tamarind paste dissolved in 1/4 cup (60 ml) warm water
- 6 cloves garlic
- 10–15 bird's eye chilies (adjust to taste), or 1–2 red chilies for milder sauce
- 1 tsp (5 g) salt
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) white vinegar
To serve
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
- 4 tbsp (60 ml) sweet kecap manis (optional)

Instructions

1. Make the fish paste: Roughly chop the fish and pulse in a food processor until a smooth paste forms. Add minced garlic, 1 large egg, salt, sugar, and white pepper; pulse to combine. While processing, add tapioca starch and all-purpose flour in batches, then slowly add ice water until the mixture forms a smooth, pliable dough that holds together but is not sticky.
2. Shape and assemble pempek: Wet your hands. For kapal selam, flatten a golf-ball–sized piece of dough, place one whole egg in the center, and carefully wrap the dough around the egg to seal. For lenjer, roll pieces into 4–5 inch (10–12 cm) logs. Keep shaped pempek on a lightly oiled tray.
3. Cook pempek: Bring a large pot of water to a gentle simmer (not a rolling boil). Drop pempek in batches and poach until they float and are firm, about 8–10 minutes for lenjer and 10–12 minutes for kapal selam. Remove and drain on a rack.
4. Fry for texture: Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan or fryer to 340–350°F (170–175°C). Fry poached pempek briefly until golden and slightly crisp, about 1–2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
5. Make cuko sauce: In a saucepan combine palm sugar and water over medium heat until sugar dissolves. In a blender, combine garlic, chilies, tamarind water, and a little of the sugar syrup; blend to a coarse purée. Add purée to the pan, simmer 5–8 minutes, season with salt and vinegar, and adjust heat and sweetness to taste. Strain if you prefer a smoother sauce.
6. Serve: Cut pempek into slices, drizzle or dip generously in cuko, and serve with sliced cucumber and a little kecap manis if desired.