Sate kere
Sate kere is a distinctive Indonesian satay dish that comes from Central Java, particularly the city of Surakarta. Unlike most satay preparations that feature cuts of beef, chicken, or goat, sate kere is prepared using slices of tempeh, tofu, and occasionally beef offal, such as intestines or tripe.
The name itself means “poor man’s satay,” referring to its origins as a more affordable version of skewered meat satay, created by vendors and home cooks to serve people who could not always afford pricier cuts of beef. The dish uses tempeh and tofu as the main ingredients because these plant-based proteins were readily available and inexpensive, making sate kere accessible to a wide range of people.
Preparation begins by slicing tempeh and tofu into uniform pieces before marinating them in a mixture of ground coriander, garlic, salt, and sometimes a bit of sweet soy sauce. Read more
If offal is included, it is usually boiled first to tenderize it, then marinated. The pieces are skewered and grilled over hot charcoal, which adds a smoky aroma and lightly chars the surface. During grilling, the skewers are frequently brushed with a mixture of coconut oil and sweet soy sauce to keep them moist and build a caramelized glaze.
Sate kere is served with a thick peanut sauce similar to that used in other Javanese satays, sometimes enriched with a splash of coconut milk for creaminess. It is usually accompanied by slices of lontong, which is compressed rice cake, and a side of sambal for extra heat.
Vendors commonly prepare sate kere at street stalls and markets, where it is cooked to order and eaten as a filling meal or snack.
