Sayur Asem — Tamarind Vegetable Soup with Crispy Sides
A tart, savory Indonesian vegetable soup built on tamarind and shrimp paste, served with crispy fried tofu, tempeh, fish, and sambal for a complete, craveable dinner.
- Total time
- 28 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 285
- Protein
- 16g
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp tamarind paste
- 1 tbsp shrimp paste (terasi)
- 1.5 cups long beans, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 cups bok choy or cabbage, chopped
- 8 oz firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 oz tempeh, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 medium cucumber, sliced into thin rounds
- 2 tbsp sambal oelek or chili paste
Instructions
- 1
Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- 2
Stir tamarind paste and shrimp paste into the water until dissolved, breaking up any clumps.
- 3
Add long beans and bok choy, simmer 8–10 minutes until just tender but still bright.
- 4
Meanwhile, pan-fry tofu in a skillet with 2 tbsp oil over medium-high heat until golden on all sides, ~8 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
- 5
Fry tempeh in the same skillet 5–6 minutes until edges crisp and brown. Set aside with the tofu.
- 6
Ladle soup into bowls, top with fried tofu, tempeh, cucumber slices, and sambal. Serve hot.
Tools you’ll need
- large pot (4–6 quart)
- 12-inch skillet
- wooden spoon
- ladle
- knife and cutting board
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