About this recipe

Pempek Kapal Selam is Palembang’s egg-stuffed fish cake—literally “submarine”—served with cuko, a dark sweet-sour-spicy sauce, and cucumber.

The dough is fish and sago. Add sago gradually until the dough is firm enough to wrap an egg without collapsing.

Boil first until floating; fry afterward if you want a firmer skin. Cuko is what makes the plate complete.

Prep & cook time

500 g ground mackerel
250–300 g sago or tapioca starch
150–200 ml ice water
2 teaspoons salt
6 hard-boiled eggs for filling (or enough halved eggs)
Cuko: 200 g palm sugar, 4 cloves garlic, 8–12 bird's eye chilies, 2 tablespoons dried shrimp (ebi), 4 tablespoons tamarind water, 500 ml water, salt
Cucumber slices and noodles (optional), for serving

Mix fish, salt, and ice water, then work in sago until a firm, smooth dough forms. Rest 10 minutes.
Flatten a portion of dough, wrap around a boiled egg, and seal into an oval.
Boil in gently simmering water until the pempek floats and feels springy, 10–15 minutes. Drain.
Optionally fry until golden for a firmer exterior.
Simmer cuko ingredients until the palm sugar dissolves and the sauce tastes bold and balanced; strain if desired.
Slice pempek, pour cuko over, and add cucumber.

Boiled pempek keeps 3 days refrigerated. Cuko keeps 1 week. Fry or re-steam to serve.