Yellow braised tempeh (Tempe ungkep kuning)

Name: Yellow braised tempeh (Tempe ungkep kuning)
Ingredients: 500 g tempeh (or tofu/vegan chicken); 1–1.5 liters coconut water; 3-5 tbsp coconut oil; 1.5 tbsp coriander powder; 1 tbsp turmeric powder; ½ tbsp white pepper; 3 bay leaves; 2 stalks lemongrass (bruised); 3 garlic cloves; 5 shallots; 4 cm ginger (peeled); 1 tbsp sea salt; Handful of red chilies; 3 garlic cloves; 6 shallots; 6 kaffir lime leaves (stems removed, sliced thinly); Juice of 1 lime; ¾ tbsp sea salt; ½ tbsp sugar; Oil (for frying)

Five pieces of fried tempeh are arranged on a white plate, served with a small bowl of red chilli sauce.

Ungkep kuning is a Javanese tradition for preserving protein. This recipe is a savior for students and busy workers—it stays fresh for weeks and tastes like a hearty home-cooked meal every time.

Ingredients

Tempeh

500 g

tempeh or tofu/vegan chicken
1–1.5 liters

coconut water
3-5 tbsp

coconut oil
1.5 tbsp

coriander powder
1 tbsp

turmeric powder
½ tbsp

white pepper
3

bay leaves
2 stalks

lemongrass bruised
3

garlic cloves
5

shallots
4 cm

ginger peeled
1 tbsp

sea salt

Additional side: Lime leaves sambal

Handful of red chilies
3

garlic cloves
6

shallots
6

kaffir lime leaves stems removed, sliced thinly
Juice of 1 lime
¾ tbsp

sea salt
½ tbsp

sugar
Oil for frying

Instructions

Tempeh

Blend the garlic, shallots, ginger, and dry spices into a smooth paste.
Sauté the paste in coconut oil with the lemongrass and bay leaves until fragrant (don’t let it brown!).
Pour in the coconut water and bring to a simmer.
Slice the tempeh into 1–2cm thick pieces and add to the broth.
Simmer on the lowest heat for 20–25 minutes so the flavors soak in.
To serve: Strain the tempeh and fry in hot oil (or air-fry at 180°C) for 15 minutes until crispy.
Pro Tip: Save the leftover yellow broth to cook your rice—it makes amazing traditional yellow rice!

Additional side: Lime leaves sambal

Shallow fry the whole garlic, shallots, and chilies for 5 minutes. Add the sliced lime leaves for the last minute, then strain.
Using a mortar and pestle (or food processor), grind the fried ingredients with salt into a rough paste.
Season with sugar and lime juice. Serve alongside your crispy tempeh and rice!

Notes

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About the author

Tamtam

@Tamtamvv

Tamtam is a chef and content creator who focuses on sharing traditional Indonesian plant-based recipes, which supports food biodiversity and cultural preservation. On his page he shares 100% English content, as one of his goals is to make Indonesian cuisine more well-known to the global audience.