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Pempek with cuko sauce

Pempek with cuko sauce are cod and tapioca starch fish cakes, poached then pan fried, served with a sour sweet vinegar and chili sauce. This recipe serves 4, takes about 1 hour, has a moderate difficulty level and costs €3.50 per person. The key to success is ice cold water, which keeps the dough springy.

Tonight, a trip to Indonesia with pempek, little golden pan fried fish cakes with a springy bite, dipped in a sweet, sour and spicy cuko sauce.

Pempek with cuko sauce
Total time
1 h
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.50
Calories per person
530 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall, Summer, Spring

Pempek starts with a surprising texture, a springy, firm fish paste made from blended cod and tapioca starch. Pan fried, the sliced cylinders develop a light crisp crust while staying tender inside. The cuko sauce, sour, sweet and spicy, wakes up every bite with its vinegar and raw garlic kick.

This is a dish to cook on an evening when you want a change of scenery without booking a table, or to surprise guests curious about Indonesian food. Plan a bit of extra time to shape the dough and make the sauce, but nothing complicated once you know the steps. Kids used to milder flavors might find the sauce spicy, so adjust it to your table.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Cod fillets 500 g

Pantry

  • Tapioca starch 250 g
  • Brown sugaroften in the pantry 60 g
  • Wine vinegaroften in the pantry 5 cl
  • Sunflower oiloften in the pantry 5 cl
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 tsp

Fruits and vegetables

  • Garlic 5 cloves
  • Chili pepper 2
  • Cucumber 1

Allergens Fish

The step by step recipe

  1. Blend the cod with one garlic clove and the salt until you get a smooth paste.

    No tapioca on hand, potato starch works too but gives a firmer texture.

  2. Add the tapioca starch and 10 cl of ice water, mix by hand, then shape into finger sized cylinders.

    Wet your hands with cold water, the dough is very sticky.

  3. Drop the pempek into a large pot of boiling salted water and remove them once they float to the surface. 10 min

    Let them drain and cool, they're easier to pan fry afterward.

  4. Make the cuko sauce, boil the sugar, vinegar, crushed garlic cloves, chopped chili and 30 cl of water, then let it cool. 10 min

    Adjust the chili to your table, the sauce should be bold but not scorching.

  5. Slice the pempek into rounds and brown them in hot oil on each side. 8 min

    Serve them hot with the sauce and diced cucumber.

Our tips to get it right

  • Blend the cod while it's still very cold, almost straight from the fridge, the paste holds together better and is easier to shape.
  • Weigh the tapioca starch rather than eyeing it by volume, too much makes the pempek rubbery.
  • Let the poached pempek cool completely before pan frying, they keep their shape better and brown more evenly.

The variations

  • Swap the cod for hake or pollock, both white fish give an equally springy paste.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the fish with firm, well drained tofu blended smooth, the texture changes but the cuko sauce still works beautifully.
  • To save time, shape small balls instead of cylinders, they cook and brown faster.

What to serve it with

  • Steamed white rice
  • Unsweetened iced tea
  • Fresh cucumber salad

Storage

Poached pempek keep for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, to be pan fried just before serving. The cuko sauce keeps for 3 days in the fridge. Raw or poached pempek freeze well, thaw in the fridge before pan frying.

Questions about this dish

Can you use a different starch instead of tapioca?

Potato starch works too but gives a firmer, less springy texture than tapioca. Avoid cornstarch, which makes the dough too soft.

Can you make pempek ahead of time?

Yes, you can poach the pempek the day before and keep them in the fridge. Just pan fry them right before serving.

Do pempek freeze well?

Yes, after poaching and cooling completely, freeze them in an airtight bag. Thaw in the fridge before pan frying.

How can you make this dish kid friendly?

Cut back the chili in the cuko sauce a lot, or serve a mild version on the side. The pempek themselves aren't spicy, only the sauce has heat.

How long does it take to make pempek with cuko sauce?

Count 1 h in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in pempek with cuko sauce?

About 530 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does pempek with cuko sauce cost?

About €3.50 per serving, or €14.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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