Recipe Cuisine: Indonesian
Theme: Meat-Free Marvels
Tampeng – Reimagined
By: Gishara Dias
Ingredients
- Fragrant Turmeric Coconut Rice: Jasmine or long-grain rice – 1 cup, washed Lemongrass – 1 small sprig Pandan leaf – 1 Garlic – ½ tsp, crushed Turmeric powder – ½ tsp Coconut milk and water – enough to cook rice Salt – to taste
- Soy-Glazed Sweet & Spicy Eggplant Pickle: Eggplant – 1–2 large, cut into thin strips Shallot – 1 small, finely chopped Garlic – 2 cloves, chopped Soy sauce – 2 tbsp Tamarind paste – 1 tbsp, mixed with a little water Jaggery – 2 tbsp, crushed White vinegar – 1 tsp Pandan leaf – 1Salt – to taste Oil – for air-frying or shallow frying
- Crispy Spicy Soya meat (TVP/Soya chunks): Soya meat/TVP/Soya chunks – 100 g Shallots – 2 small, sliced Ginger – 1 tsp, finely chopped Garlic – 1 tsp, finely chopped Chilli flakes – 1–2 tsp (to taste) Soy sauce – 3–4 tbsp Cornflour – 1 tsp mixed with water Pandan leaf – 1 Salt – to taste
- Creamy Lentils: Lentils (of choice) – 50g Coconut cream – to taste Garlic – ½ tsp, chopped Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp Pandan leaf – 1 Salt – to taste
- Garnish & Serving: Fresh cucumber, thinly sliced Rice paper – 2 sheets Roasted cashews Fried shallots Small bowl as mould to portion the yellow rice when serving (Cone shape preferred)
Product used in recipe
- LEE KUM KEE - PREMIUM SOY SAUCE
Method
- Fragrant Turmeric Coconut Rice: Heat a little oil in a pot and sauté lemongrass and garlic until fragrant. Add turmeric, pandan leaf and washed rice, stirring to coat the grains. Transfer to a rice cooker or continue in the pot. Add coconut milk and water to cook the rice, season with salt, cover and cook until fluffy and aromatic.
- Soy-Glazed Sweet & Spicy Eggplant Pickle: Lightly oil the eggplant and air-fry (or fry) until golden and tender. Heat oil in a pan, add pandan leaf, shallot and garlic, and sauté gently. Stir in soy sauce, tamarind mixture, vinegar, jaggery and salt with a splash of water. Add the cooked eggplant and simmer until caramelised, glossy and balanced with sweet, sour and umami flavours.
- Crispy Spicy Soy Protein/TVP: Soak soy protein in hot water with salt and 1 tbsp soy sauce for 10–15 minutes. Squeeze dry, reserving ½ cup of the soaking liquid. Lightly oil and air-fry until golden and crisp. In a pan, heat oil and sauté shallots, garlic, ginger, chilli flakes and pandan leaf. Add remaining soy sauce and reserved soaking liquid, simmer briefly, then thicken lightly with cornflour slurry. Toss in the crispy soy protein until well coated and savoury.
- Creamy Lentils: Cook lentils with garlic, turmeric, pandan leaf and salt until tender. Stir in coconut cream to finish.
- Garnish: Cut rice paper into two circles (one large, one small). Make small cuts around the edges and stack them using a little mashed rice to hold them together. Fry until puffed and shape into a flower while hot. Toast cashews lightly and slice cucumber thinly.
- Assembly: Spoon fragrant yellow rice into a bowl as the base. Arrange soy-glazed eggplant, crispy soya protein, lentils and cucumber around the rice. Finish with roasted cashews, fried shallots and the crisp rice-paper flower. Serve and Enjoy!
