Batagor Bandung (Indonesian Fried Tofu)

Description

This is a very popular street food found around the Sunda region of Western Java. Batagor is an acronym for Bakso Tahu Goreng (Fried Tofu Balls) though it’s not really a ball, but more of a triangle shape. The tofu is stuffed with a mixture of savory ground meat, steamed, and then coated with batter and fried; it is served with a spicy sweet chile-peanut sauce.

Ingredients

  • 4 (8 ounce) containers tofu
  • ½ cup prawns – peeled, deveined, and minced
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 ½ ounces ground chicken
  • 1 green onion, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • salt and ground white pepper to taste
  • 1 egg
  • 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • cold water, or as needed
  • ⅓ cup water
  • ¼ cup coarsely chopped dry roasted peanuts
  • 1 fresh red chile pepper, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • oil for frying

Instructions

  1. Slice each tofu square diagonally to make 8 triangles. Make a cut into the base of each tofu triangle and scoop out enough of tofu to create a pocket.
  2. Combine scooped-out tofu pieces
  3. prawns
  4. egg
  5. ground chicken
  6. green onion
  7. cornstarch
  8. sesame oil
  9. salt
  10. and pepper in a bowl for the filling. Carefully stuff filling back into the tofu triangles; the filling will bulge out.
  11. Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add stuffed tofu triangles
  12. cover
  13. and steam for 20 minutes.
  14. Meanwhile
  15. make the batter. Mix egg and flour in a bowl. Whisk in enough water to give batter a medium-thin consistency.
  16. Combine water
  17. peanuts
  18. red chile pepper
  19. garlic
  20. vinegar
  21. salt
  22. and sugar in a bowl. Stir until salt and sugar have dissolved and set sauce aside.
  23. Remove cooked tofu triangles from the steamer.
  24. Heat oil in a wok until hot. Dip triangles into the batter and slowly lower into the hot oil. Fry in batches until golden brown and the batter is cooked through
  25. about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot with the peanut sauce.

Prep Time: 35 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins

Servings: 8

Leave a Comment