Rempeyek

About This Recipe

Rempeyek (also spelled peyek) are Indonesia's lacy, shattering-crisp peanut wafers — a thin batter of rice flour, coconut milk, garlic, and turmeric is ladled down the side of a hot wok, studded with roasted peanuts, and fried until golden and brittle. The genius is in the technique: pouring the batter against the sloped wall of the wok lets it spread paper-thin before sliding into the oil, creating the signature delicate, web-like texture. Eaten as a cracker alongside gado-gado, pecel, or plain rice, or simply snacked on by the handful, rempeyek delivers savory garlic, earthy turmeric, and toasty peanut crunch in every bite. They keep for days, which is why they're a favorite gift and Lebaran pantry staple.

Ingredients

Serves 12

• 1 cupall-purpose flour
• 1/2 cupcoconut milk
• 1/2 cupwater
• 2 clovesgarlic, minced
• 1/2 tspturmeric
• 1/4 tspchili flakes
• 1 tspsalt
• 1 tspsugar
• 1 cuproasted peanuts
• oil for frying

Instructions

1. 1

   Make batter

   Whisk the flour, coconut milk, water, garlic, turmeric, chili flakes, salt, and sugar until completely smooth and lump-free. The batter should be noticeably thin — closer to heavy cream than pancake batter — so it spreads into a delicate, lacy disc when it hits the oil.

   Let the batter rest 10 minutes, then check the consistency again; flour absorbs liquid as it sits, so you may need an extra splash of water.

2. 2

   Fry

   Heat 4–5cm of oil in a wok to about 170°C. Ladle a small amount of batter and pour it slowly down the sloped side of the wok just above the oil line — it will spread thin against the hot metal, then release and slide into the oil as it sets.

   This wall-pouring technique is what creates rempeyek's signature lacy thinness; pouring batter directly into the oil makes thick, doughy fritters instead.

3. 3

   Add peanuts

   While the surface is still wet and bubbling, scatter a spoonful of roasted peanuts over the wafer so they embed in the batter. Once the edges turn golden and release from the wok, flip gently with a spatula and fry another 1–2 minutes until evenly golden and rigid.

4. 4

   Drain

   Lift each rempeyek out with a spider strainer, holding it briefly over the wok to shed excess oil, then drain flat on paper towels. Don't stack them while hot. They will continue to crisp and harden as they cool to room temperature.

Variations

• •

  Rempeyek teri: swap the peanuts for tiny dried anchovies, a hugely popular savory version across Java.

• •

  Use raw green soybeans (peyek kedelai) or sliced almonds for a different nutty profile.

• •

  Stir thinly sliced kaffir lime leaves into the batter for a fragrant, citrusy lift that's classic in Yogyakarta.

• •

  Add a teaspoon of ground coriander and candlenut to the batter for a deeper, more traditional spice base.

Storage

Store fully cooled rempeyek in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. If they soften from humidity, re-crisp them in a 150°C oven for 5 minutes and cool before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions