Tofu Pepes (Balinese Steamed Tofu)

I can't tell you how excited I am that I was able to recreate these tofu pepes (steamed tofu) at home. We were treated to these delicious pepes by our hosts on a recent trip to Bali and they are so packed with flavour. These are a great addition to a Balinese inspired dinner but I also think you can serve them as a side dish or even an appetizer! The individual portions are fun to unwrap and convenient to make ahead.

Quick and simple to prepare in advance
Aromatic and bursting with flavour
Fun to make
And even more fun to eat!

How To Make Tofu Pepes (Steamed Tofu)

These tofu pepes are quite simple to make. There are essentially only three steps:

1. Mash the tofu with the spices
2. Fold the individual portions in banana leaves (or parchment paper)
3. Steam for 20 minutes

At first glance this recipe may seem more complicated because it requires a spice mixture to be made beforehand. My basa bali spice paste recipe was taught to me by my local host in Bali. I highly recommend you source the basa bali ingredients to fully experience the flavour of these tofu pepes. However, I have included a note on how to utilize more common ingredients.

Basa bali is a spice paste made from galangal, lemongrass, ginger, turmeric, candlenuts, shallots, and garlic. It is cooked with kaffir lime leaves and fresh bay leaves for even more aromatic punch. Chillies can be added to the paste or, as is the case here, added to the broader dish.

If you are familiar with Southeast Asian cuisine then these ingredients are likely staples in your kitchen. If you are like me however, you may keep only a few of these on hand. My note at the bottom of the recipe card details how you can quickly create something similar using the more common (in Western grocery stores) of the basa bali ingredients. Although the flavour will not be the same, I think you will still create delicious pepes that will not require the prep work of making the basa bali paste.

Ingredients

The main ingredient for these tofu pepes (steamed tofu) is obviously tofu! Firm tofu is my preference but I have successfully made these with medium tofu as well. I do not bother pressing my tofu as I find it helpful to have some moisture in the mixture.

The flavour profile comes predominantly from the aromatic basa bali spice mixture. Notes of pine from the galangal, the freshness of the lemongrass, and the pepperiness of the ginger mix with shallots and garlic. Then a touch of sweetness comes from coconut sugar or more traditionally palm sugar if you can source it. And finally, you can add as much spice as you like with the milder long red chillies and hotter green birds eye chillies.

Wrapping Tofu Pepes

These tofu pepes are steamed in little individual packets. Traditionally, banana leaves secured with a "skewer" made from coconut palm leaves are used.

I was thrilled to see that my makeshift parchment paper steaming pockets produced similar results to the tofu pepes steamed in banana leaves. Do not use wax paper to make your tofu pockets but aluminum foil can be another option.

Folding and securing the steaming pockets may seem daunting but it is quite simple:

1. Prepare squares of either banana leaf, parchment paper, or aluminum foil. The squares should be roughly 6x6 inches.
2. Place half of a kaffir lime leaf or bay leaf in the centre of the square.
3. Top the leaf with 1-2 tablespoons of the tofu mixture.
4. Fold the front and back of the the banana leaf or alternative up so the tofu sits in the centre (kind of like a taco). Then pinch the two sides inward so you create a flap on each corner. Fold the front flaps forward and the back flaps backward. You should now have a little closed pocket.
5. Carefully pierce a wooden skewer through one side of the packet, across the back, and out through the front (about 1 inch away from the first hole). This should close the packet. *I find that my bamboo skewers work really well for this and are stronger than my wooden toothpicks.

I often refrigerate the tofu pepes at this stage and steam them just before I am ready to serve.

Steaming

Boil roughly two inches of water in a pot with a steaming basket. When the water has boiled, place the tofu pepes in the steaming basket and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the steamer and steam for 20 minutes.

Serve the individual pepes on a plate and make unwrapping them part of the experience. Each diner can unwrap their individual pepe, be hit with the aroma of all of the delicious herbs, and dig into their pepe.

As it steams, the mashed tofu creates a more compact dumpling type of texture. It is still very soft and easy to pull apart with a fork but it will hold the rounded shape it was pressed into by the banana leaf pocket.

Serving Suggestions

If I serve these tofu pepes (steamed tofu) as part of my Balinese inspired platter, I like to serve each diner 2 pepes. Find my other Balinese inspired recipes here!

These could also be a great supplement to any rice or noodle dish and in those cases one per diner could be enough to sample.

I also love the idea of serving these as an appetizer or bringing them to a potluck! The individual packets make them simple to grab and fun to unwrap.

Recipe Cost

This recipe costs me about $5 Canadian and yields 8 individual tofu pepes.

I managed to find a frozen package of banana leaves at my local Asian market for just over $3. But, feel free to use the parchment paper or aluminum foil you may already have on hand!

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