Indonesian Fried Tofu and Eggplant in Spicy Coconut Sauce

Author: Anita Jacobson

Courses: Main Dish

Cuisines: Indonesian

Diets: Vegan

Ingredients: Tofu Vegetables

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 45 mins

Total Time: 1 hour 5 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Fried tofu
• 1 block firm tofu (14 oz./400 gram), drained well
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup oil
• Other
• 4 tablespoon oil, divided
• 1 eggplant (~1 lb./450 gram), cut into wedges
• 3 Indonesian bay leaves (Indonesian: daun salam)
• 5 kaffir lime leaves (Indonesian: daun jeruk)
• 1 lemongrass (Indonesian: sereh), cut into 3 to 4 sections and bruised
• 400 ml (1 can) coconut milk
• 250 ml (1 cup) vegetable stock/water
• 2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon palm sugar (or brown sugar), or to taste
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and thinly sliced
• 5 dried red chilies
• Spice paste (grind the following together)
• 8-10 dried red chilies (or 4-5 fresh red fresno chilies)
• 50 gram shallot (Indonesian: bawang merah)
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 4 candlenuts (Indonesian: kemiri)
• 1 inch galangal (Indonesian: lengkuas)

Instructions

• Fried tofu
  1. Once the tofu is drained, cut into 6 pieces, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and dust with all purpose flour.
  2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, fry tofu until all sides are golden brown. Set aside over a strainer/wire rack to remove excess oil.
  3. Once the tofu is cool enough to handle, cut each into 2 triangles.
• Indonesian Fried Tofu and Eggplant in Spicy Coconut Sauce
  1. Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Sauté eggplant in hot oil for 2 minutes, set aside the eggplant in a platter.
  2. In the same frying pan, heat another 2 tablespoon oil over medium high heat, then sauté spice paste, Indonesian bay leaves, kaffir lime leaves, and lemongrass until fragrant. About 5 minutes.
  3. Pour in coconut milk and vegetable stock/water, season with salt and palm sugar. Stir well.
  4. Once the sauce boils, add fried tofu triangles, mix well, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes.
  5. Return the fried eggplants to the pan, mix well, and cook for 3 minutes.
  6. Turn the heat off, add in sliced jalapeno and dried red chilies, and stir. Transfer to a serving plate and serve with steamed white rice.