About this recipe

Tempe Orek is thin-sliced tempeh cooked until dry, then tossed in a sweet-spicy kecap manis glaze with bay leaf and galangal. It keeps well and is a lunchbox favorite.

Slice the tempeh thin so it fries crisp and soaks up the sauce. This is thrifty, protein-rich cooking that tastes bigger than its ingredient list.

Control the chili for family meals. The dish should be savory-sweet first, with heat as a gentle finish.

Prep & cook time

Prep10 minutes
Cook15 minutes
Total25 minutes
Servings4 servings
LevelEasy

Tools you need

Wok or skillet
Knife
Slotted spoon
Mixing bowl

Ingredients

2 blocks tempeh (about 400–450 g), thinly sliced
5 shallots, sliced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
5–8 red bird's eye or red chilies, sliced (to taste)
3 tablespoons sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 bay leaves
2 cm galangal, smashed
Oil, for frying and sautéing

Directions

Slice tempeh as thinly as practical. Fry in batches until dry and lightly golden. Drain.
In a clean pan, sauté shallots, garlic, chilies, bay leaves, and galangal until fragrant.
Add the fried tempeh and toss to coat.
Pour in sweet soy sauce, sugar, and salt. Stir over medium heat until the sauce thickens and clings.
Continue until the mixture looks glossy and nearly dry—classic orek texture.
Taste and adjust sweetness or salt. Cool slightly before packing for lunch.

Kitchen tips

Thinner slices equal better texture and longer keeping quality.
Do not drown the tempeh in sauce; it should look coated, not soupy.
A spoon of water helps loosen thick kecap if it catches.
Tempe orek is excellent with cucumber to cut the sweetness.

Serve with

Warm rice
Cucumber slices
Fried egg
Sambal

How to store

Airtight in the fridge 3–4 days. Delicious at room temperature for lunchboxes the same day.

Common mistakes

Cutting tempeh too thick so the center stays soft and bland.
Leaving the dish wet instead of reducing to a dry glaze.
Burning the sugar in the kecap on high heat.