Textual Chef Textual Chef

Asinan Betawi

A traditional Jakarta vegetable salad featuring crunchy raw vegetables and fried tofu tossed in a tangy peanut tamarind dressing.

30 minEasyServes 4280 cal/serving

IndonesianSaladStovetop and BlenderVegetarianVeganHigh FiberHalal-friendlyKosher-styleDairy-FreeEgg-FreeGluten-FreeShellfish-FreePork-FreeAlcohol-Free

Cook this free in the appFree. No download, no account. The screen stays awake and each step can run its own timer.

Ingredients

  • 14 oz firm tofu, cubed
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 cup roasted peanuts
  • 4 red chili peppers, chopped
  • 1/4 cup palm sugar, grated
  • 2 tbsp tamarind paste
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1.5 cups water
  • 2 cups green cabbage, shredded
  • 2 cups bean sprouts
  • 2 cucumber, sliced
  • 1/2 cup preserved mustard greens, chopped

Instructions

  1. 1

    Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and pan-fry 14 oz cubed firm tofu until golden on all sides, then drain on paper towels.

  2. 2

    In a blender, combine 1 cup roasted peanuts, 4 chopped red chili peppers, 1/4 cup grated palm sugar, 2 tbsp tamarind paste, 1 tsp salt, and 1.5 cups water.

  3. 3

    Blend until smooth, then transfer the sauce to a saucepan and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.

  4. 4

    Arrange 2 cups shredded green cabbage, 2 cups bean sprouts, 2 sliced cucumber, 1/2 cup chopped preserved mustard greens, and fried 14 oz cubed firm tofu in serving bowls.

  5. 5

    Pour the warm peanut dressing over the vegetables and serve immediately.

Cook this free in the appCooking it now? The app keeps the screen awake and times each step. Free, nothing to install.

Questions

Is there a substitute for tamarind in Asinan Betawi?

The entry for Asinan Betawi calls for 2 tbsp tamarind paste. In its place: Equal parts lime juice and brown sugar give the same sour-sweet effect. Pomegranate molasses also works where you have it.

Can I use a different firmness of tofu instead of tofu in Asinan Betawi?

Go firmer, not softer. Extra-firm stands in for firm anywhere; anything softer breaks up when it is fried or stirred. Press it for 15 minutes either way. As written, the entry for Asinan Betawi uses 14 oz firm tofu, cubed.

How hot is Asinan Betawi?

Moderately. The heat in Asinan Betawi comes from 4 red chili peppers, chopped. For a milder plate, remove the seeds and ribs from the chilies, or use half; nothing else in the method changes. For more, add it at the table rather than in the pot, so everyone sets their own level.

Is Asinan Betawi gluten-free?

Yes. As written, nothing in the ingredient list for Asinan Betawi is wheat, barley or rye. Gluten hides in packaged goods, so read the label on the mustard greens.

Does Asinan Betawi contain peanuts?

Yes: 1 cup roasted peanuts. The full allergen list for this entry is peanuts and soy. Where the peanuts are a garnish, toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds give the same crunch. Packaged ingredients vary by brand, so check labels if the allergy is serious.

How long does Asinan Betawi keep?

The base of Asinan Betawi is cabbage, which holds up: it keeps three to four days refrigerated and tastes better after a few hours, once the dressing has soaked in. Hold back a spoonful of dressing to freshen it before serving. Add the peanuts at the table so it stays crisp. It does not freeze.

Serve it with

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,530 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.

More Indonesian entries

All Indonesian recipes · All Salad recipes · All Vegetables recipes