Eggs, Tofu, and Tempeh

In a country where meat isn’t always affordable, eggs, tofu, and tempeh provide valuable protein and form a very important part of the Indonesian diet. It’s not unusual to have two or three dishes based on these ingredients for an entire meal. One of my favorite tofu and tempeh preparations, Tahu Tempe Bacem, mimics the chicken dish Ayam Goreng Manis.

Eggs are a welcome by-product of the scrawny chickens (ayam kampung) that ply rural villages and can be prepared in the simplest of ways. Case in point: my dad’s favorite, Ceplok Telur, is a sunny-side up egg with frilly golden edges served on a bed of rice and topped with a drizzle of kecap manis and fried shallots. We also eat hearty omelets filled with shrimp and vegetables (Foo Yong Hai) or tofu (Tahu Telur), and eggs scrambled with vegetables (Orak Arik Buncis Wortel).