Indonesian
Tempe Mendoan (Crispy Battered Tempeh)
Thin tempeh slices in a herby turmeric batter, fried until just golden and soft — an addictive Indonesian snack in 20 minutes.
About this recipe
Tempe Mendoan (Crispy Battered Tempeh) is a indonesian lunch for 2 that is a fast, high-heat stir-fry — have everything chopped before the wok gets hot. It’s built around tempeh, and it takes around 20 min start to finish. We sized it for a small household and ranked it on OneToCook by how much of it you already have in the fridge.
Good to know
* Dietary flags are derived from the listed ingredients — always check labels and your own needs for allergens.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 stalk spring onion
- 100ml water
- 200g, thinly sliced tempeh buy
- 2 tbsp rice flour buy
- 1/2 tsp coriander buy
- 1/4 tsp turmeric buy
Equipment
Method
- 1
Whisk flour, rice flour, garlic, ground coriander, turmeric, spring onion and water into a thin batter.
~4 min
- 2
Dip the tempeh slices to coat.
~3 min
- 3
Shallow-fry in hot oil until just golden but still soft, about 2 min per side.
~7 min
Smart swaps
Out of something? Try one of these.
- Garlic
- garlic powder (¼ tsp per clove) at a push.
- Coriander
- spring onion or parsley if coriander isn’t your thing.
- Spring onion
- thinly sliced onion or chives for the finish.
Cook's notes
- Smash each clove with the flat of your knife first — the skin slips off and it minces in seconds. How to mince garlic →
- Dice the onion before anything heats up so it’s ready when the pan is — a even dice cooks evenly. How to dice an onion →
- Keep the white and green parts separate — whites go in early with the aromatics, greens at the end. How to chop spring onions →
- Rinse the rice until the water runs (mostly) clear for fluffier, less gummy grains. How to wash & cook rice →
- Do your chopping first (mise en place). With everything prepped, the actual cooking here is only about 15 min.
Storage & leftovers
Cooked rice needs care: cool it quickly (within an hour), refrigerate in a covered container, and eat within a day — reheating it until piping hot all the way through. Don’t leave cooked rice at room temperature.
Frequently asked
How long does Tempe Mendoan (Crispy Battered Tempeh) take to make? +
Around 20 min from start to finish, almost all of it hands-on.
How many people does this recipe serve? +
As written it serves 2. To cook for 4, roughly multiply the ingredients — but cook in batches if the pan gets crowded, so things sear instead of steaming.
What equipment do I need? +
You’ll want: induction hob, frying pan / wok. OneToCook only suggests recipes that fit the equipment you tell it you have, so you can filter these out if your kitchen is more minimal.
What can I use if I'm missing an ingredient? +
Common swaps for this dish: Garlic → garlic powder (¼ tsp per clove) at a push; Coriander → spring onion or parsley if coriander isn’t your thing; Spring onion → thinly sliced onion or chives for the finish. See the full list of smart swaps above.
Can I make Tempe Mendoan (Crispy Battered Tempeh) ahead of time? +
Cooked rice needs care: cool it quickly (within an hour), refrigerate in a covered container, and eat within a day — reheating it until piping hot all the way through. Don’t leave cooked rice at room temperature.
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