In my “5 Tofu Dishes From 5 Countries” series, I was eager to get a better idea of some tofu dishes which aren’t exclusively made for vegetarians. We often think of tofu as a meat substitute in the United States. But, as Arum from Indonesia shared with us, Indonesian food like martabak tahu often uses tofu in conjunction with meat for an interesting and delicious experience.

Arum is from Indonesia, where martabak tahu is a very popular street food. According to Arum, martabak tahu is basically mashed tofu mixed with canned meat, eggs, and spices and then wrapped in a spring roll wrapper. This wrapper is then fried to create a crispy outer shell. Arum says that there are other versions of martabak dishes that include other fillings inside of them. 

This dish is a favorite of Arum’s because martabak tahu is very easy to make but still tastes amazing. All of the ingredients are very easy to find. The dish should be crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Arum mentions that this dish is super common all over Indonesia as a street food. Indonesia has a great fried street food culture.

Usually, Arum’s mother makes this dish whenever they have lots of leftovers in their fridge. This is one of those great dishes that can be made with many different ingredient combinations depending on what you have. 

Arum says that in Indonesia, tofu is often served with meat. Indonesian people don’t view tofu as a meat substitute. Rather, tofu is often used as its own ingredient because it is cheap and high in protein. Tofu is a huge part of Indonesian cuisine.

When I saw that this recipe had canned corned beef in it in addition to tofu, I had to give it a try. At first glance, the martabak tahu looks delicious. The exterior is so crunchy. I really love canned corned beef, and this recipe works very well with it. The tofu and corned beef mix perfectly together to create a juicy filling that bursts with flavor. None of the flavors are overpowering. Even the chili works in harmony with the other ingredients. As an American, I love this dish because it challenges my conceptions of tofu. Seeing a recipe with canned corned beef and tofu is very uncommon. It challenges my idea of tofu as a food for vegetarians only. If you’re interested in trying tofu but don’t want to give up meat, this recipe is a great one for you to try.