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Pempek
Pempek
Pempek is a traditional Indonesian dish which is a type of fishcake made from a mixture of ground fish, typically mackerel or snapper, mixed with tapioca starch and various spices. The mixture is then shaped into various forms, such as rolls, balls, or even doughnuts, and cooked by boiling or frying. Pempek is commonly served with a sweet and tangy sauce called kuah cuka, which is made from vinegar, palm sugar, garlic, and chili.
Ingredients
Method
- In a food processor, blend the fish fillets until smooth. Transfer the fish paste into a mixing bowl.
- Add tapioca starch, minced garlic, salt, sugar, ground white pepper, and baking powder to the fish paste. Mix well until all the ingredients are completely incorporated.
- Gradually add water while stirring the mixture until it forms a smooth and pliable dough. The dough should be slightly firm but not too sticky.
- Take a small portion of the dough and shape it into your desired form, like rolls or balls. Repeat until all the dough is used.
- Boil a pot of water and gently drop the shaped dough into the boiling water. Cook until they float to the surface, which usually takes about 5-7 minutes. Remove them from the water and set aside to cool.
- Heat cooking oil in a frying pan or deep fryer. Fry the cooked dough until they turn golden brown and crispy on the outside. Remove and drain on a paper towel to remove excess oil.
- For the sauce (kuah cuka), mix vinegar, palm sugar, minced garlic, and chili (if desired) in a saucepan. Cook over low heat until the palm sugar is dissolved and the sauce thickens slightly.
- Serve the fried pempek with the kuah cuka sauce as a dipping sauce.