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Brief Overview
Pempek is one of those dishes that instantly sparks curiosity. With its bouncy texture, savoury depth, and sharp dipping sauce, this fish cake from Palembang offers something both bold and rooted in tradition.
It is not flashy, but it does not need to be. Pempek captures your attention with contrast. The fish cake is soft and mild, while the sauce is fiery, sweet, and sour all at once. It is a combination that works in complete harmony.
Commonly eaten as a snack or light meal, it is sold at markets, roadside stalls, and family run shops throughout Indonesia. Each version carries the character of its maker, yet still reflects a shared cultural core.
What Is Pempek?
Pempek is made by blending ground fish with tapioca starch to form a pliable dough. The dough is shaped, sometimes around a boiled egg, then either boiled or fried depending on the style being prepared.
There are several types, each with its own texture and personality. Kapal selam contains a full egg in the centre. Lenjer is long and smooth. Adaan is small, fried, and slightly crispy. Each version is served with the signature cuko sauce.
The dish is always eaten with this dipping sauce. It is not just an afterthought, but an essential part of the experience. Without it, Pempek would feel incomplete, lacking the edge that makes it so distinctive.
Ingredients and Taste
Freshwater fish such as mackerel or snakehead is commonly used. The fish is ground until smooth, then mixed with tapioca flour, salt, garlic, and a touch of water to form a sticky dough. Some recipes also use a bit of egg.
After shaping and cooking, the fish cakes are left to cool before being sliced and served. Their texture is elastic and slightly chewy, while the flavour is clean, savoury, and subtly briny without being overpowering.
The cuko sauce, made from palm sugar, tamarind, garlic, vinegar, and chilli, is thick and bold. It clings to each bite, delivering sweetness followed by a sharp tang and a heat that lingers just long enough.
Together, the cake and sauce create balance. The mild fish is brought to life by the intense sauce. It is a pairing that works because neither part tries to outdo the other. They carry equal weight on the plate.
A Taste of History
Pempek comes from Palembang, a riverside city in South Sumatra where freshwater fish is plentiful. It is said to have originated as a way to use surplus fish before it spoiled, turning it into something versatile and lasting.
Some stories link its origin to Chinese-Indonesian communities, who brought techniques for preserving and shaping food in this way. Over time, the dish became deeply woven into Palembang’s identity and everyday life.
It was food born from necessity but shaped by flavour. Pempek offered a practical way to feed families using what was available. As the sauce evolved and regional tastes shifted, it grew into something much more.
Today, Pempek is celebrated well beyond Palembang. It appears in urban food courts and village stalls alike. It is a dish that has travelled far but never lost its roots, reminding you of where it came from with every bite.
How to make Pempek
Pempek is a savoury fried fish cake from Palembang, South Sumatra, made from ground fish and tapioca flour, served with a tangy, spiced vinegar sauce called cuko. Expect a springy texture, bold umami from the fish, and a punchy dipping sauce that cuts through richness. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions
Ingredients
For the fish cake
- 500g boneless white fish fillet (mackerel or snakehead), finely minced
- 200g tapioca flour
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1 egg
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 100ml cold water
For the filling (optional)
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, halved or quartered
For boiling and frying
- Water for boiling
- Oil for shallow or deep frying
For the cuko (spiced vinegar sauce)
- 250ml water
- 4 garlic cloves
- 6 bird’s eye chillies (adjust to taste)
- 100g palm sugar, chopped
- 75ml tamarind water
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- ½ tsp salt
Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the fish paste
To begin, place the minced fish, salt, white pepper, grated garlic, and egg in a large bowl. Mix until smooth and sticky. Gradually add the cold water, stirring constantly. The texture should be tacky but not watery. Move to dough preparation.
Step 2: Add tapioca flour
Fold in tapioca flour with a spatula or your hands until a pliable dough forms. Do not over knead, as this can make the cakes tough. Continue until fully combined and smooth. Prepare for shaping.
Step 3: Shape the pempek
Lightly oil your hands. Divide the dough into 8 equal parts. Flatten each piece, place a quarter of hard-boiled egg inside (if using), and fold the edges to seal. Shape into long oval cylinders or “submarine” form. Set aside.
Step 4: Boil the fish cakes
Bring a pot of water to a gentle simmer. Add the pempek pieces and boil until they float, around 5–7 minutes. Do not let the water rapidly boil, or the texture may toughen. Remove and let them drain on a wire rack. Proceed to prepare the sauce.
Step 5: Make the cuko sauce
Blend garlic and chillies into a paste. In a saucepan, combine the paste with water, palm sugar, tamarind water, vinegar, and salt. Simmer over medium heat for 10–15 minutes until slightly thickened. Strain if desired. Set aside to cool. Move to frying.
Step 6: Fry the fish cakes
Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Fry the boiled pempek until the surface is golden and crisp, about 2–3 minutes per side. Avoid overcrowding the pan to ensure even browning. Drain on paper towels. Prepare for serving.
Step 7: Slice for serving
Once slightly cooled, slice pempek diagonally into bite sized pieces. Arrange on a serving plate and prepare the accompaniments. Move to garnishing.
Final step: Serve with cuko
Serve the pempek with a generous pour of cuko sauce. You may garnish with sliced cucumber and sprinkle with fried shallots for freshness and crunch. For a spicier kick, add more chillies to the sauce as desired.
Variations and substitutions
- Replace mackerel with any firm white fish such as cod or tilapia.
- Leave out the hard-boiled egg for simpler round shaped pempek (Pempek Lenjer).
- Add mashed sago or sweet potato to the dough for a regional variation.
Cooking Tips for Perfect Pempek
- Always use cold water when mixing to prevent the dough from becoming too soft.
- Do not boil vigorously, as this will toughen the fish cakes.
- Chill boiled pempek before frying for a crisper exterior.
- Use palm sugar for authentic depth in the sauce.
Indonesian Pempek (Fried Fish Cake)
Ingredients
For the fish cake
- 500 g boneless white fish fillet mackerel or snakehead, finely minced
- 200 g tapioca flour
- 2 garlic cloves finely grated
- 1 egg
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 100 ml cold water
For the filling (optional)
- 2 hard-boiled eggs halved or quartered
For boiling and frying
- Water for boiling
- Oil for shallow or deep frying
For the cuko (spiced vinegar sauce)
- 250 ml water
- 4 garlic cloves
- 6 bird’s eye chillies adjust to taste
- 100 g palm sugar chopped
- 75 ml tamarind water
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- To begin, place the minced fish, salt, white pepper, grated garlic, and egg in a large bowl. Mix until smooth and sticky. Gradually add the cold water, stirring constantly. The texture should be tacky but not watery. Move to dough preparation.
- Fold in tapioca flour with a spatula or your hands until a pliable dough forms. Do not over knead, as this can make the cakes tough. Continue until fully combined and smooth. Prepare for shaping.
- Lightly oil your hands. Divide the dough into 8 equal parts. Flatten each piece, place a quarter of hard-boiled egg inside (if using), and fold the edges to seal. Shape into long oval cylinders or “submarine” form. Set aside.
- Bring a pot of water to a gentle simmer. Add the pempek pieces and boil until they float, around 5–7 minutes. Do not let the water rapidly boil, or the texture may toughen. Remove and let them drain on a wire rack. Proceed to prepare the sauce.
- Blend garlic and chillies into a paste. In a saucepan, combine the paste with water, palm sugar, tamarind water, vinegar, and salt. Simmer over medium heat for 10–15 minutes until slightly thickened. Strain if desired. Set aside to cool. Move to frying.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Fry the boiled pempek until the surface is golden and crisp, about 2–3 minutes per side. Avoid overcrowding the pan to ensure even browning. Drain on paper towels. Prepare for serving.
- Once slightly cooled, slice pempek diagonally into bite sized pieces. Arrange on a serving plate and prepare the accompaniments. Move to garnishing.
- Serve the pempek with a generous pour of cuko sauce. You may garnish with sliced cucumber and sprinkle with fried shallots for freshness and crunch. For a spicier kick, add more chillies to the sauce as desired.
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