Pempek
Dive into the flavorful world of Indonesian cuisine with Pempek, a beloved street food originating from Palembang, South Sumatra. This irresistible fish cake recipe combines tender mackerel or tenggiri fillets with tapioca and all-purpose flour to create a smooth, chewy dough that's boiled to perfection before being fried to golden crispiness. The highlight of this dish is the tangy and spicy cuko sauce, made with tamarind paste, vinegar, palm sugar, and blended chilies, offering a bold and zesty punch to every bite. Pempek is traditionally served with a garnish of diced cucumber and crispy fried shallots, adding a refreshing crunch and savory depth to the dish. Perfect as an appetizer or snack, this recipe brings authentic Indonesian flavors straight to your kitchen. Ideal keywords: Indonesian fish cake, pempek recipe, cuko sauce, South Sumatra cuisine.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 500 grams fish fillet (mackerel or tenggiri)
- 250 grams tapioca flour
- 50 grams all-purpose flour
- 200 ml ice-cold water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 100 ml vinegar
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- 100 grams palm sugar
- 500 ml water
- 5 pieces chilies, blended
- 1 piece cucumber, diced
- 2 tablespoons fried shallots
Instructions
Prepare the fish mixture by processing the fish fillets in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
Combine ice-cold water, minced garlic, salt, and sugar in a separate bowl, stir until dissolved. Gradually add this mixture to the processed fish, stirring gently.
Slowly incorporate the tapioca flour and all-purpose flour into the fish mixture, mixing until a smooth, non-sticky dough forms.
Divide the dough into equal portions, shaping each into a cylinder or desired shapes for pempek.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then reduce to a high simmer. Cook the pempek pieces in batches for about 15-20 minutes, or until they float to the surface and are cooked through. Remove and drain.
To prepare the cuko sauce, combine vinegar, tamarind paste, water, palm sugar, and blended chilies in a saucepan. Simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves and the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and strain into a serving bowl.
Once boiled pempek is cooled, fry them until golden brown in a skillet with hot oil over medium heat.
Serve the fried pempek with a side of diced cucumbers, drizzled with cuko sauce, and topped with fried shallots.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
682 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 19.1 g | 25% | |
| Saturated Fat | 4.5 g | 23% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 88 mg | 29% | |
| Sodium | 1113 mg | 48% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 97.7 g | 36% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.0 g | 7% | |
| Total Sugars | 30.7 g | ||
| Protein | 26.2 g | 52% | |
| Vitamin D | 11.3 mcg | 56% | |
| Calcium | 63 mg | 5% | |
| Iron | 4.0 mg | 22% | |
| Potassium | 577 mg | 12% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
