Brilio.net - For Indonesian people, fried food is one of the favorite snacks whose deliciousness cannot be denied. Among the many types of fried food, tempeh kemul is one of the most frequently sought after foods. This Wonosobo specialty fry is synonymous with its crunchy texture and delicious savory taste.
Who would have thought, tempe kemul is also one of Ussy Sulistiawaty's favorite fried foods. This woman, who was born on July 13 1980, is even willing to make her own kemul tempeh at home using simple ingredients in her kitchen. Indeed, Ussy is known as a celebrity who loves to cook menus for herself or for her family. Therefore, it is not surprising that Andhika Pratama's wife also makes tempeh kemul as a snack.
Basically, tempe kemul is made from cassava flour mixed with spices and chive leaves. However, Ussy also added another ingredient which will make the kemul tempeh have an even crispier texture, the aroma is delicious, and it doesn't absorb a lot of oil. Well, this ingredient is also the secret to the various kinds of fried foods he often makes, you know.
Ussy Sulistiawaty's trick is to make tempe kemul so it is even crispier and more delicious.
"A lot of people ask, 'Sis, you used to make fried food on YouTube, why did you use butter?' "So actually, this is called margarine. So in my opinion, all fried food will be delicious if you put margarine on it. It's definitely delicious. Yes, that's why it has a savory taste, there's a crunch from this margarine," explained Ussy, quoted by BrilioFood from YouTube Ussy Andhika Official on Saturday (23/3).
Well, the use of margarine is not arbitrary. Ussy adds margarine to the flour mixture as well as to the oil that will be used to fry the tempe kemul. That way, the texture of the dough will be crispier and less oily. Apart from that, the aroma is delicious because of the addition of margarine.
To make it clearer, just prepare a bowl. Then mix the cassava flour and enough water while stirring. If you don't have cassava flour, you can use wheat flour and starch that you have in your kitchen.
photo: YouTube/Ussy Andhika Official
Once the flour mixture is ready, add the ground spices (garlic and coriander). After that, stir until smooth. If so, add sliced spring onions, salt, pepper and non-MSG stock powder. Finally, add quite a lot of margarine. Only then stir all these ingredients until they are even and there are no lumps.
photo: YouTube/Ussy Andhika Official
Next, dip the thinly sliced tempeh into the mixture. But before frying, make sure the oil is heated and add margarine too. If the margarine has melted, then add the tempeh which has been coated in flour. Then fry until cooked over medium heat.
photo: YouTube/Ussy Andhika Official
If the tempeh has turned golden yellow and crispy, immediately remove it and drain it. Then transfer it to a serving plate and it is ready to eat. According to Ussy, kemul tempeh made with margarine can be crunchy and lasts a long time, you know.
"And even though it's crunchy like this. Even though it's been around for hours, it's still delicious, crunchy," he said.
Tips for making fried food crispier and not soggy.
Fried foods with a crispy texture are certainly more appetizing. Here are nine tips to make fried food crispier and not soggy.
1. Choose the right oil.
Use oil that has a high smoke point, such as vegetable oil or soybean oil, to prevent the oil from getting dirty quickly and the fried food to stay crispy.
2. Make sure the oil is hot.
Heat the oil to the right temperature before adding food. Oil that is not hot enough can cause food to absorb more oil and become soggy.
3. Don't over-crowd.
Don't put too much food in the wok or fryer at once, as this can lower the temperature of the oil and make the food soggy. Fry in small batches for crispier results.
4. Use the right flour or dough.
Use the right flour or dough according to the recipe, because the right composition can help food remain crispy when fried.
5. Turn food quickly.
Flip the food regularly and quickly so that the outside of the food remains crispy and not too oily.
6. Use a frying rack.
After frying, place the food on a frying rack or kitchen tissue to reduce the level of oil sticking to it and maintain crispness.
7. Add developer.
Add raising agents such as baking powder or baking soda to the dough to make the outer layer of the food crispier.
8. Proper storage.
Avoid covering freshly fried food with a tight lid, because trapped hot steam can make the food soggy. Leave the food slightly uncovered to allow hot steam to escape.
9. Serve immediately.
Serve the fritters immediately after cooking to maintain crispiness. If food must be served in batches, keep it in the oven at a low temperature to keep it warm and crispy.