Crunchy Indonesian vegetable fritters of shredded cabbage, carrot and bean sprouts in a seasoned batter, deep-fried golden and eaten hot with chili or sweet soy sauce (kecap manis).
Bakwan is the everyday vegetable fritter of Indonesia, a member of the gorengan (fried-snack) family with Chinese-Indonesian roots — shredded cabbage, carrot and beansprout bound in batter and fried crisp. It is the snack of warungs and roadsides.
Lacy, golden and shatteringly crisp at the edges, with a tender tangle of sweet cabbage and carrot inside. Dipped into fresh bird's-eye chili or eaten plain, it is the ultimate hot, crunchy Indonesian street nibble.
A portion of rice flour in the batter limits gluten development and traps less water, producing a thinner, crisper crust that stays crunchy after frying.
Variations
Bakwan sayur (vegetable), bakwan jagung (corn), bakwan udang (shrimp), Malang-style bakwan in soup
On the Palate
Where Bakwan sits in the Indonesian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
7 steps · 15 min
- 16 min
Finely shred cabbage and carrot and trim the bean sprouts.
- 23 min
Make a batter of flour, a little rice flour, water, egg and seasoning.
- 32 min
Season the batter with garlic, coriander, salt and white pepper.
- 42 min
Fold the shredded vegetables and sprouts into the batter.
- 53 min
Heat oil until hot but not smoking.
Watch outHeat the oil hot but not smoking — too cool and the fritters drink oil and turn greasy instead of crisping; a drop of batter should sizzle up at once.
- 62 min
Drop spoonfuls of the vegetable batter into the oil.
- 76 min
Fry until golden and crisp, then drain on paper.
Watch outFry until deep gold and crisp all over — the rice flour keeps the crust crunchy, so give it long enough for the edges to firm and shatter.
