Tahu Gejrot Indonesian Version of Taiwanese Stinky Tofu

Yesterday, Amma sent me a picture of her eating Tahu Gejrot, a famous Indonesian dish originating from my hometown, Cirebon.

 “Ugh! I am so jealous“, I told Fafa while zooming into the plate she was holding. “What is that?” he asked me.

 It took me a second to think about how to explain what Tahu Gejrot was to him.

  What’s Tahu Gejrot?

“Well, it’s fried tofu, but empty inside — drenched with tangy dressing”. I realized the way I explained it to him wasn’t appetizing at all. Tahu Gejrot gravy is made of a paste of palm sugar, soy sauce, onions, garlic, chilli, and tamarind mixed with water. The paste is freshly made on the spot by grinding it on a stone mortar when you order it. Served on a shallow earthenware plate (piring cobek) and garnished with slices of chilli and shallots, Tahu Gejrot is traditionally eaten using a toothpick.

 The sauce soaked in the tofu bursts inside your mouth when you bite into it. Combined with the pieces of tofu and garnish, create a party of flavours. With a strong, pungent smell, Tahu Gejrot is an acquired taste.

The Indonesian version of the more famous Taiwanese stinky tofu

But hey, don’t let my explanation put you off! Originating from Cirebon, Tahu Gejrot is loved by most Indonesians. Especially by us, who came from a small town a couple of hours from Jakarta. We can’t get enough of it. So much so that I used to frequent Fat Oma, the only Indonesian restaurant in Melbourne which served Tahu Gejrot, during lunchtime. That was before they closed down a couple of years ago.

It’s also something that I always order when I see it on the menu back home. But nothing can beat the authentic taste of Tahu being sold by the roadside in Cirebon. It’s fresh, and the dressings’ chilli and tanginess provide the extra kick.

Here is the recipe if you are so-called inclined to try to make it at home. Meanwhile, I prefer to go for the second-best option: eating it from the roadside food carts with “TAHU GEJROT” written on them, which, thank god, can still be found all over Jakarta. My go-to is the one just outside the Grand Indonesia Mall in central Jakarta.

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