Pempek: Typical Culinary of Palembang, Indonesia

How to Make Pempek: A Complete and Practical Guide

Pempek Palembang is one of Indonesia's famous culinary dishes from the city of Palembang, South Sumatra. This dish has a savory and chewy texture, usually served with "cuko" sauce, which is sour, spicy, and sweet. In this article, I'll guide you to make delicious and authentic Pempek Palembang at home. Let's get started!

 

Main Ingredients for Pempek

To make delicious pempek, you will need the following main ingredients:

1. Pempek Ingredients

• 500 grams of mackerel fish fillet (you can substitute with snakehead fish or other fish)
• 300 ml cold water
• 250-300 grams of sago flour (tapioca starch)
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)

2. Cuko Sauce Ingredients

• 500 ml water
• 200 grams palm sugar
• 50 grams tamarind
• 10 bird's eye chilies (adjust to taste; you can add or reduce the amount)
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon dried shrimp (ground)
• Salt to taste

Steps to Make Pempek Palembang

Here are the steps to make perfect pempek:

1. Preparing the Pempek Dough

Blend the mackerel fish fillet using a food processor or blender until smooth. Make sure there are no bones left.
Mix the fish paste with salt, sugar, and finely chopped garlic.
Gradually add cold water while kneading until the fish dough feels soft.
Then, slowly add the sago flour into the fish mixture. Stir until well combined, but don’t overmix, so the dough doesn’t become too hard. The texture should be soft and chewy.


2. Shaping the Pempek

• Take a portion of the dough and shape it according to your preference. Common shapes include "kapal selam type" (submarine shape, stuffed with egg), "lenjer" (long and cylindrical), and "adaan" (round).
• For "kapal selam type," take a handful of dough, flatten it, then create a hollow in the center. Crack a raw egg into the hollow, then close the dough tightly so the egg doesn’t leak out.

3. Boiling the Pempek

• Boil water in a large pot and add a little oil to prevent the pempek from sticking.
• Place the pempek into the boiling water. Wait until they float to the surface, indicating they are cooked.
• Remove the cooked pempek, drain, and let them cool.

4. Frying the Pempek (Optional)

• Pempek can be eaten right after boiling, but for added flavor, the cooled pempek can be fried until golden brown before serving.

How to Make Cuko Sauce

Preparing the Cuko Sauce

• Blend the garlic, bird's eye chilies, and dried shrimp into a fine paste.
• Boil water with palm sugar and tamarind until the sugar dissolves and the mixture boils.
• Add the blended spices into the sugar mixture, then add salt to taste. Cook until the sauce thickens slightly and the flavors blend well.
• Once done, strain the sauce to remove any solids for a smooth texture.

Serving Pempek Palembang

• Serve the pempek on a plate, then pour the cuko sauce generously over the top.
• Add sliced cucumber and a sprinkle of ground dried shrimp for extra flavor.
• Your Pempek Palembang is now ready to enjoy with its tangy, spicy, and sweet cuko sauce.

Tips and Tricks:

• Fish Selection: For optimal flavor, use fresh mackerel fish. Snakehead fish or belida fish might also be excellent alternatives to mackerel if it's difficult to find.
• Dough consistency: When mixing the sago flour, do not overmix the dough to avoid making the pempek too hard.
• Cuko Sauce: Adjust the spiciness of the cuko sauce to your preference. For those who love spicy flavors, feel free to add more bird’s eye chilies.

Good luck trying to make Pempek Palembang at home! I hope this recipe helps you create delicious and authentic pempek. Enjoy it with your family or friends for an unforgettable culinary experience!