Tahu Tek (Surabaya Style Tofu and Bean Sprout Salad with Dark Peanut Sauce) Recipe

Tahu Tek or loosely translated as Tofu and Bean Sprout Salad with Dark Peanut Sauce is commonly found in Surabaya and its suburban. The tahu tek hawkers bring a pushcart on streets and make noises by hitting a spoon on the wok "tek tek tek..." These little noises are a sign to let people in the house or on the street that there is a tahu tek seller. They are usually out off and start selling on the streets after 7 pm.



Now you know where the name of tahu tek came from as tahu lterally means tofu and tek is the noise that the hawkers make.



This is what I miss about my home country. There are many food hawkers late night on the street. We just wait at home for those food pushcarts.



There are two kinds of tahu tek that these hawkers sell, a regular and special one. The difference is only adding egg to make tofu omelet while the regular is only used cut tofu.  That is the reason why it's called tahu gunting too.  Gunting has two different meanings; "to cut" and "a scissor".



Tahu Tek (Tahu Gunting) Surabaya

-Surabaya Style Tofu and Bean Sprout Salad with Dark Peanut Sauce-



Ingredients:

Tofu Omellet*:

200 g mediun tofu, cubed

2 egg

1/4 tsp ground white pepper

1/2 tsp salt



Sauce:

2 tbsps kecap manis

water

2 tbsps petis udang (dark shrimp paste)



Grind or pound into a paste:

4 tbsp roasted/fried peanuts

2 cloves garlic (I like using roasted garlic)

3 bird eye chilies (reduce or add the amount depend on your palate)

salt as desired



Complement:

lontong (rice cakes), cut into pieces

boiled potatoes, cubed

bean sprouts

green onions, finely sliced

Chinese celery leaves, finely sliced

kerupuk bawang (garlic crackers)

fried shallot flakes



Methods:

Tofu Omelet:

1.  Beat the egg with salt and ground white pepper until mix.

2.  Throw in the tofu cubes to the egg mixture.

3.  Divide mixture into two and make two omelets on a wok or pan.  Set aside.



Sauce:

1.  Grind garlics and chilies until mix. Add peanuts and grind until a bit smooth (I like making a bit crunchy not too smooth).

2.  Add other sauce ingredients. Combine until mix.



Plating:

On a plate, add lontong, potato and tofu omelet. Top with bean sprouts and ladle the sauce over. Sprinkle Chinese celery leaves, fried shallot flakes, green onions over. Add garlic crackers on the side.