How to make Rempeyek Kacang

Happy Friday everyone! Today we are sharing a recipe for a delicious Javanese savoury cracker called 'Rempeyek' or 'Peyek' for short. (Word has it that 'peyek' is also the sound that's made when you bite into this local cracker) Rempeyek is made from batter, infused with spices, studded with crunchy peanuts, covered with light fragrant threads of kaffir lime leaves then deep fried ... ( Are you with me? ... you must try these!) Rempeyek are totally moreish and it's hard to stop at just one.

In Indonesia, Rempeyek making is traditionally a small scale home industry, which makes it difficult to come by. My first experience of this sensational local cracker was at the home of local food writer and chef, Petty Elliott. Jo and I were interviewing Petty for ajb and Petty asked us to join her for lunch and we enjoyed her home made Rempeyek. Since that encounter it has had us both seeking out more of this flavourful snack!

So ... rather than wait for our next Rempeyek fix, we decided to make our own and we thought you would enjoy this tasty treat too. Rempeyek is not difficult to make but it does call for some practice (if you like me are not so accustomed to deep frying) But don't let that put you off, making Rempeyek yourself is definitely worth the effort!

Selamat memasak! Happy cooking!.....

This recipe was adapted from Indonesian Food by Sri Owen        

An 'ajb' favourite cook book, 'Indonesian Food' by award winning Sumatra born food writer, lecturer and cook Sri Owen

'Indonesian Food' is as much autobiographical as it is a cook book. In it Sri Owen places each recipe in their regional and cultural settings. She shares the importance of food in her upbringing, culture and society with recipes to accompany.

Rempeyek Kacang - Javanese Peanut crackers

Makes : 50 - 60 (enough for up to 20 people)

Ingredients
250 grams raw peanuts (halved)
2 kemiri (candlenuts)
2 tsp coriander seeds
10 kaffir lime leaves
2 cloves garlic
2 x 1 cm pieces of kencur (kaempferia galanga)
1 tsp salt
1 egg lightly beaten
1 cup water
200 grams rice flour (the finest you can find)
2 tablespoons cassava flour
1. 5 litres peanut or canola oil for frying

Method
Pound the candlenuts, coriander, garlic, kencur and salt in a mortar and pestle (cobek ulek ulek) until you have a smooth paste. Mix the paste with the rice and cassava flours and beaten egg and then slowly stir in the water. You should have a thick, cream-like batter.

Lightly pound or chop the peanuts. Sri suggests cutting the peanuts in half if you have time.

Fold and cut the middle of each kaffir lime leaf with scissors to remove the centre stalk. Then, cut each one thinly.

Heat the oil in a wok to about 350º. Sprinkle several teaspoons of peanuts and a sprinkling of kaffir lime leaves into a ladle of batter. Draw the ladle around the side of the wok above the oil. You are aiming to form a thin skin of batter just above the oil. After about thirty seconds, slide the rempeyek off the side of the wok into the hot oil. Cook for a minute or so, and then carefully lift the finished rempeyek out of the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.

To serve
Rempeyek is traditionally served as a snack on their own or to accompany a meal. To add a modern touch, I like to serve Rempeyek with drinks.

Cooks notes
The following ingredients may be omitted if you have difficulty finding them (particularly outside Indonesia) cassava flour, kencur (kaempferia galanga). Additionally, macadamia nuts may be substituted for candlenuts. Macadamia nuts are close to the texture and oil content of candlenuts.

Clockwise : rice flour, cassava flour, egg, kaffir lime leaves, garlic cloves, kencur, kemiri, coriander seeds, salt, raw peanuts

Mix the paste with the rice and cassava flours and beaten egg and then slowly stir in the water. You should have a thick, cream-like batter

Sprinkle several teaspoons of peanuts and a sprinkling of kaffir lime leaves into a ladle of batter

Draw the ladle around the side of the wok above the oil. You are aiming to form a thin skin of batter just above the oil.

This part can take some practice. It's best to ladle less batter onto the side of the wok than more. It makes for a lighter, crisper cracker

If the batter doesn't fall easily into the bubbling oil, use another ladle to spoon oil onto the batter on the sides of the wok. This will help the batter slip into the oil

After about thirty seconds, slide the rempeyek off the side of the wok into the hot oil.

Cook for a minute or so, and then carefully lift the finished rempeyek out of the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.

Freshly cooked Rempeyek, studded with peanuts and sprinkled with kaffir lime leaves

Home made Rempeyek, it's hard to stop at just one!

Rempeyek lasts for about 2 weeks stored in a air tight jar.

Did you know?

Rempeyek comes in several versions: Teri (dried anchovies) Rebon (small thin shrimp) Ebi (dried shrimp) or Lentil (kacang hijau) But the most common version (the one we shared today) is Rempeyek kacang (with peanuts)

Did you make this? Tell us how it came out or how you tweaked it. We would love to know!

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The story of Krupuk and other traditional Indonesian snacks
A delicious pisang goreng recipe to make this rainy season

Words: Recipe adapted by Liz McClean from Indonesian Food and Cookery by Sri Owen
Photography:a journey bespoke Special Thanks: To Ibu Mina