Tahu Goreng
Crispy fried tofu stuffed with bean sprouts and carrot
The recipe
Tahu Goreng is the Indonesian fried tofu — but unlike the plain cubes you find in Chinese cooking, Indonesian tahu goreng is usually stuffed (tahu isi) or served as tahu pong (puffed tofu that absorbs sauce). The most famous version is *Tahu Goreng Surabaya* — tofu triangles filled with bean sprouts and carrot, battered, deep-fried until golden, and served with a peanut sauce. The tofu is the canvas; the peanut sauce is the painting. Street vendors in Java and Sumatra serve tahu goreng as a snack, an appetizer, or a light meal, with a small bowl of sauce for dipping.
Ingredients
Method
💡 Tips from the kitchen
- ·Press the tofu for 30 minutes before stuffing — wet tofu will spit in the oil.
- ·The batter should be thick enough to coat but not so thick it forms a heavy shell.
- ·Serve immediately. Tahu goreng waits for no one — it goes soggy fast.
The story
Did you know?
🇮🇩 Indonesia has 17,000+ islands — only 6,000 are inhabited.
Cook it yourself
Tahu Goreng is one of Indonesia's heritage dishes. Want to try the recipe at home?
See the recipe →
