 Belacan tempoyak | |
| Alternative names | asam durian, pekasam |
|---|---|
| Type | Condiment |
| Course | Side dish |
| Place of origin | Indonesia[1][2] andMalaysia[3] |
| Region or state | Sumatra, Malay Peninsula, Borneo |
| Associatedcuisine | Brunei,Indonesia,Malaysia,Singapore |
| Serving temperature | Room temperature or cold |
| Main ingredients | Durian |
Tempoyak (Jawi:تمڤويق),asam durian orpekasam is aMalaycondiment made fromfermenteddurian. It is usually consumed by theethnic Malays inMaritime Southeast Asia, notably inIndonesia andMalaysia. Tempoyak is made by crushing durian flesh and mixing it with some salt and kept in room temperature from three to seven days for fermentation.[4] Tempoyaks are usually made during the durian season, when the abundance of durian and excess production are made into fermented tempoyak.[5]
Tempoyak is not normally consumed on its own; it is usually eaten as condiment or as an ingredient for cooking, such as when it is cooked with coconut milk curry asgulai tempoyak ikan patin (pangasius fish tempoyak curry),[6] or mixed with spicy chili pepper assambal tempoyak.[7]
In theMalay Archipelago, fermented durian is known by many names. It is commonly known astempoyak in the Malay Peninsula, Borneo, and Southern Sumatra region (South Sumatra, Jambi, Bengkulu and Lampung provinces). It is known aspekasam inAceh andasam durian in the Minangkabau region ofWest Sumatra.[8] The wordasam which translates to "sour" describes itsfermentation process.
Tempoyak is made by crushing the flesh of durian and mixing it with salt or sugar. It is kept at room temperature (28–34°C) and left to ferment for three to seven days, underanaerobic conditions (obtained by closing the container lid). The bacteria involved in the fermentation process can vary depending on many factors such as durian variety, fermentation conditions and indigenous microorganisms in the environment. One study reported a progressive succession of different nativelactic acid bacteria during the fermentation process, withLactobacillus mesenteroides andFructobacillus durionis being prominent in the early phases, with the latter remaining dominant throughout the fermentation. Another author found that predominant strains are:Weissella paramesenteroides,Enterococcus faecalis,Enterococcus gallinarum,Lactobacillus plantarum,Lactobacillus brevis,Lactobacillus fermentum,Lactobacillus mali,Lactobacillus mesenteroides,Lactobacillus casei andPediococcus acidilactici.[4] These lactic acid bacteria inhibit the growth of harmful decomposing bacteria, such asEscherichia coli, which in turn preserves the durian flesh. Besides its functions as a food preservative, fermented tempoyak also serves as a natural food flavoring. The addition of tempoyak into chili paste and curry can add a distinct aroma and savoury flavour to the dish.
Just like many fermented food products in the region (e.g.belacan,pekasam,cincalok,budu, andtapai), tempoyak was probably discovered unintentionally; from the excessive unconsumed durian and thus left fermented, during the abundance of durian season in the region.
Tempoyak is mentioned inHikayat Abdullah as a staple food for the people of Terengganu. WhenAbdullah Abdul Kadir visitTerengganu around the year 1836, he said that one of the favorite food of the local resident is Tempoyak.[9] Based on Hikayat Abdullah, tempoyak is a food special to theethnic Malays, and a speciality of the states of the east coast of the Malay Peninsula.Temerloh in Pahang, Malaysia is known as the capital forikan patin because of its fish farms and also its restaurants offering savouryikan patin masak tempoyak (silver catfish cooked in fermented durian gravy).[10]
In Indonesia, tempoyak is exceptionally popular inSouthern Sumatra,[2] especially inPalembang, wheretempoyak ikan patin (pangasius fish in tempoyak sauce),[11] andbrengkes tempoyak (tempoyak fish in banana leaf package) is a popular local specialty.[12]
In Indonesia, tempoyak is especially popular inPalembang, and also in other cities and provinces inSumatra such asRiau,[1]Jambi,Bengkulu,Lampung and alsoPontianak inKalimantan.
In Palembang, the dishtempoyak ikan patin (Pangasius catfish in tempoyak sauce) andbrengkes (pepes) tempoyak are well known, which is a steamed fermented durian paste inbanana leaf container,[11] usually mixed withpatin (Pangasius fish) asbrengkes ikan patin tempoyak.[12] A spicy condiment calledsambal tempoyak is made from the mixture of fermented durian, groundbelacan (shrimp paste) and chili pepper.[7]
InLampung, tempoyak is made assambal seruit tempoyak.Seruit is shredded fried freshwater fishes, such aspatin (Pangasius),baung (Hemibagrus),lais (Kryptopterus),belida (Giant featherback) ormas (carp), mixed with ground chili pepper, tomato, shallot, shrimp paste, lime juice, young unripemango, salt and tempoyak.[13]
InPontianak andBengkulu, tempoyak is usually served as spicy condiment assambal tempoyak,[14] mixed with red chili pepper, fresh shrimp orteri (anchovy) andpetai (green stinky bean).[15]
In Malaysia, tempoyak is specifically popular in the state ofPahang andPerak, yet it is also can be found elsewhere, from Kuala Lumpur toSarawak. In Malaysia, tempoyak is an essential ingredient forgulai tempoyak ikan patin (pangasius fish tempoyak curry)[6] and for cooking soup withtang hoon or glass noodles.[5]Temerloh inPahang is known for farmed ikan patin (Shark catfish ) mostly theSwai a fish known for a popular traditional dish, patin masak tempoyak (cooked with fermented durian), and another local favorites such as pais patin (grilled with tempoyak) and deep-fried with chilies.
In Sarawak, tempoyak is available in the marketplace. The taste is said to be sour and salty with a lot of nutty, durian flavours.
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