Fried Tempeh, Anchovies & Peanuts with Sambal Sweet Chili LIME Sauce

Have you heard of tempeh? Traditional Javanese soy food called tempeh is created from fermented soybeans. Although it is Indonesian in origin, tempeh is becoming increasingly popular in western cuisine. It is also a well-liked vegetarian alternative to meat. Many Malaysians love this simple and delicious dish of sambal tempeh with anchovies and peanuts.

If you have not tried tempeh before or if you are looking for a new way to use this tasty ingredient. Check out this amazing recipe.

In this dish, tempeh, anchovies, and peanuts are fried till crispy and then coated with SAMBAL SWEET CHILI LIME SAUCE. The sweet chili LIME sauce is the fundamental component of this dish. Sweet Chili Paste, vinegar, oyster sauce, garlic, lime juice, and kaffir lime leaves make up the majority of the sauce's ingredients.  I cook the sauce until it is thickened, then toss the fried tempeh, peanuts, and anchovies with the sauce until all the pieces are coated well. How easy was that!!

The tempeh, peanuts and anchovies should taste sweet but not overly sweet, sour from the lime juice, salty and a little bit spicy and citrus flavour from the kaffir lime leaves and the lime juice really brighten it up a little bit of crunch from the coating but also sticky and tender.

This perfectly browned tempeh, peanuts and anchovies cooked in rich sweet chili sauce, bursting with flavour. I love pairing it with steamed rice.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup dried anchovies (50g)

1 cup raw shelled peanuts (80g)

2 packs tempeh (300g)

some sliced chilies

Some cooking oil

 

(Sambal sweet chili lime sauce)

2 tbsp Sweet Chili Paste

1 ½ tbsp vinegar

3 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp oyster sauce

3 cloves mince garlic

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp water

1 ½ tbsp lime juice

3-4 kaffir lime leaves, julienned and minced 

METHOD

1. Rinse and drain dried anchovies and peanuts. Use paper towels to pat dry.

2. Cut the tempeh into thin rectangular pieces.

3. Pour enough cooking oil into the wok together with the peanuts. On low heat, stir-fry the peanuts continuously. After the crackling sound disappears, remove it from the oil and drain it.

4. Continue by then deep-frying the tempeh, avoid overfilling the wok, fry in batches. After draining, set aside.

5. In the same wok with the remaining oil (add more oil as needed) in the wok, fry the anchovies, once the anchovies crisp up and turn a light golden brown, take the anchovies off the heat, drain on paper towel to remove access oil.

6. In a clean wok, combine all the sauce's ingredients, EXCEPT lime juice and kaffir lime leaves. Stir everything together and simmer over medium heat. Keep stirring until the sauce thickens.

6. Add the lime juice and kaffir lime leaves after turning off the heat. The heat of the sauce will help infuse the lime.

7. Put the fried tempeh, anchovies and peanuts into the sauce and toss them right away to make sure they are well coated. Serve immediately. ENJOY!!