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Indonesia · Food

Tahu Petis

30 min
450 kcal
4 servings

By eatmundo · August 4, 2026

Tahu Petis🇮🇩AI-generated image

Same ingredients, elsewhere in the world

3 matches

Dishes from other countries' kitchens, made from the same core ingredients as Tahu Petis. The percentage is the share of ingredients the two recipes have in common.

Same technique: Stuffed vegetable39 recipes from 13 countries

A popular East Javanese snack consisting of fried tofu stuffed with a savory, sweet, and spicy fermented shrimp paste sauce. It's a perfect balance of textures and intense umami flavors.

According to eatmundo's ingredient comparison, the closest dish to Tahu Petis from another cuisine is Pad Thai (Thailand): the two share 52% of their ingredients.

Ingredients

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Adapt this recipe:
4 servings

How to Make It

  • 1

    Cut 400g of firm tofu into cubes and deep fry in hot oil until they are golden brown and crispy on the outside, about 8 minutes.

  • 2

    Roast 100g of peanuts in a dry pan until fragrant, then crush them roughly in a mortar.

  • 3

    Prepare the sauce base by grinding 3 cloves of garlic, 2 bird's eye chilies, and 50g of palm sugar into a smooth paste.

  • 4

    Mix the ground spice paste with 50g of petis (black fermented shrimp paste), 1 tbsp tamarind paste, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 0.5 tsp salt and 60 ml warm water. Stir until you have a thick, glossy, dark petis sauce.

  • 5

    Add the crushed peanuts into the sauce mix, stirring until well incorporated.

  • 6

    Drain the fried tofu and slice each cube open to create a small pocket.

  • 7

    Stuff each tofu pocket with the 100g of fresh bean sprouts, then fill it generously with the petis peanut sauce.

  • 8

    Serve immediately, spooning any remaining petis sauce over the stuffed tofu.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Tahu Petis?

Tahu Petis is an Indonesian street food consisting of fried tofu stuffed with bean sprouts and a savory-sweet black petis sauce. The sauce is prepared with petis (fermented shrimp paste), crushed peanuts, palm sugar, tamarind, garlic, and chili. It is typically consumed as a snack.

Can I replace the shrimp paste?

If petis (shrimp paste) is hard to find, a thick mixture of oyster sauce and soy sauce can mimic the umami, though it won't be identical.

Is the tofu supposed to be crispy?

Yes, the exterior should be crunchy so it provides a good contrast to the soft filling.

How spicy is it?

You control the spice level; adjust the number of bird's eye chilies to suit your heat preference.

Can I serve this as a main meal?

It is traditionally an appetizer or street snack, but you can serve it alongside rice to make it more substantial.

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