Tempe Mendoan

Tempe Mendoan is a comforting Indonesian snack of thin tempeh slices coated in a lightly seasoned batter and fried until just set and fragrant. The result is tender, savory, and aromatic, especially when dipped into sweet kecap manis with fresh chili.

Nutrition · per serving

531kcal

22gProtein

44gCarbs

29gFat

7gFiber

2 servings

Ingredients

11 items

Tempe and batter

tempeh, thinly sliced250 g

plain flour80 g

rice flour20 g

garlic, finely grated2 cloves

ground coriander1 tsp

salt1/2 tsp

spring onion, very thinly sliced1 stalk

water120 ml

For frying and serving

neutral oil, for shallow frying250 ml

kecap manis3 tbsp

red chili, thinly sliced1 small

Tips

•If you cannot find rice flour, use all plain flour; the coating will be slightly less delicate but still good.
•Tempe mendoan is intentionally soft rather than crunchy, so keep the frying brief.
•A pinch of white pepper in the batter is optional and common in home-style versions.
•Serve with hot tea, steamed rice, or as a snack alongside fresh bird's eye chilies if you like more heat.

Steps

1
Slice the tempeh into thin pieces about 5 mm thick so it cooks quickly and stays flexible, which is characteristic of mendoan. Finely grate the garlic, thinly slice the spring onion, and slice the chili.
250 g tempeh, thinly sliced2 cloves garlic, finely grated1 stalk spring onion, very thinly sliced1 small red chili, thinly sliced
2
In a bowl, whisk together the plain flour, rice flour, grated garlic, ground coriander, salt, sliced spring onion, and water into a smooth, pourable batter. It should be thinner than a typical fritter batter so the coating stays light; add 1-2 teaspoons more water if needed.
80 g plain flour20 g rice flour2 cloves garlic, finely grated1 tsp ground coriander1/2 tsp salt1 stalk spring onion, very thinly sliced120 ml water
3
Heat the neutral oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat until it reaches about 170-175°C. The oil is ready when a drip of batter rises immediately but does not brown too fast.
250 ml neutral oil, for shallow frying
4
Dip each slice of tempeh into the batter, coating it fully, then slide it into the hot oil. Fry in batches for 1-1 1/2 minutes per side until the batter is just set and pale golden. For authentic mendoan, do not fry until deeply crisp; it should remain soft and lightly fried.
250 g tempeh, thinly sliced80 g plain flour20 g rice flour2 cloves garlic, finely grated1 tsp ground coriander1/2 tsp salt1 stalk spring onion, very thinly sliced120 ml water250 ml neutral oil, for shallow frying
5
Transfer the fried tempeh to a rack or paper towel briefly to drain. Stir the sliced chili into the kecap manis for a quick dipping sauce.
1 small red chili, thinly sliced3 tbsp kecap manis
6
Serve immediately while warm with the chili kecap manis on the side. Mendoan is best eaten fresh, when the coating is tender and aromatic.
3 tbsp kecap manis1 small red chili, thinly sliced

Origin & History

Tempe mendoan comes from Banyumas in Central Java, where "mendo" refers to a soft or half-cooked texture. Unlike fully crisp fried tempeh, this version is dipped in a thin seasoned batter and fried briefly, making it a popular street snack and home comfort food in Indonesia.

indonesian tempeh vegan snack fried beginner

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Steps

Slice the tempeh into thin pieces about 5 mm thick so it cooks quickly and stays flexible, which is characteristic of mendoan. Finely grate the garlic, thinly slice the spring onion, and slice the chili.

250 g tempeh, thinly sliced2 cloves garlic, finely grated1 stalk spring onion, very thinly sliced1 small red chili, thinly sliced

In a bowl, whisk together the plain flour, rice flour, grated garlic, ground coriander, salt, sliced spring onion, and water into a smooth, pourable batter. It should be thinner than a typical fritter batter so the coating stays light; add 1-2 teaspoons more water if needed.

80 g plain flour20 g rice flour2 cloves garlic, finely grated1 tsp ground coriander1/2 tsp salt1 stalk spring onion, very thinly sliced120 ml water

Heat the neutral oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat until it reaches about 170-175°C. The oil is ready when a drip of batter rises immediately but does not brown too fast.

250 ml neutral oil, for shallow frying

Dip each slice of tempeh into the batter, coating it fully, then slide it into the hot oil. Fry in batches for 1-1 1/2 minutes per side until the batter is just set and pale golden. For authentic mendoan, do not fry until deeply crisp; it should remain soft and lightly fried.

250 g tempeh, thinly sliced80 g plain flour20 g rice flour2 cloves garlic, finely grated1 tsp ground coriander1/2 tsp salt1 stalk spring onion, very thinly sliced120 ml water250 ml neutral oil, for shallow frying

Transfer the fried tempeh to a rack or paper towel briefly to drain. Stir the sliced chili into the kecap manis for a quick dipping sauce.

1 small red chili, thinly sliced3 tbsp kecap manis

Serve immediately while warm with the chili kecap manis on the side. Mendoan is best eaten fresh, when the coating is tender and aromatic.

3 tbsp kecap manis1 small red chili, thinly sliced