Fried tofu pockets stuffed with seasoned vegetables and coated in a light batter, a popular Indonesian street food snack.
Tahu isi takes firm fried tofu and hollows it out slightly to make room for a savory vegetable filling, typically bean sprouts and carrot seasoned with garlic and a touch of coriander. Once stuffed, the tofu is dipped in a thin, seasoned batter and fried a second time, developing a crisp, slightly bumpy exterior that contrasts nicely with the soft tofu and crunchy filling within. Sold from street carts across Indonesia, often alongside other fried snacks like tempeh and bakwan, tahu isi is best eaten hot with a side of fresh chile sauce for dipping.
Serves 4
Mix bean sprouts, carrot, garlic, coriander and salt together.
Cut a slit into each piece of fried tofu to create a pocket, being careful not to cut all the way through.
Cut a small, careful slit rather than splitting the tofu open completely — a smaller opening holds the filling better during frying.
Fill each tofu pocket generously with the vegetable filling.
Whisk flour, rice flour, water, turmeric and salt into a thin, smooth batter.
Dip each stuffed tofu piece into the batter, then fry in hot oil for 3-4 minutes, turning, until golden and crisp.
Drain and serve hot with chile sauce.
Cut a small, careful slit into the tofu rather than splitting it wide open, which helps the filling stay contained during frying.
Use pre-fried tofu (tofu goreng) as your base, which is firmer and holds its shape better than raw tofu for this stuffing technique.
Fry at a steady, moderate-high heat so the batter crisps without the tofu inside overheating and drying out.
A version with bean thread noodles mixed into the filling adds extra texture.
Adding a bit of ground shrimp to the filling gives extra flavor and richness.
Serving with a sweet soy dipping sauce alongside the chile sauce offers a nice contrast.
Best eaten fresh and hot; refrigerate leftovers up to 2 days and reheat in an oven or air fryer to help re-crisp the batter.
Tahu isi is a popular Indonesian street food snack, part of a broader tradition of fried tofu and tempeh snacks (gorengan) sold from carts throughout the country, often enjoyed with a hot cup of tea in the late afternoon.
No, firm or extra-firm fried tofu is necessary here — silken tofu is too delicate to hold a filling and fry a second time.
You can use all all-purpose flour for the batter, though rice flour contributes to a slightly crisper texture.
The slit was likely cut too large, or the tofu was overfilled — cut a smaller opening and don't overstuff the pocket.
Per serving (140g / 4.9 oz) · 4 servings total
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