Recipes with SATS: Sous Chef Thomas shares his go-to iftar recipe, Mie Tarempa

In the Muslim Kitchen at SATS, you’ll find Sous Chef Thomas Sunarto, a quiet man in a white chef’s coat, working with two other sous chefs to make sure 20,000 halal meals meet the highest standards before they are sent to flights.

Thomas Sunarto, Sous Chef, Muslim Kitchen, SATS In-Flight Catering Centre 2

Cooking is a personal thing, but when you feed thousands daily, it can start to feel distant. That’s why you’ll see Thomas on a ferry home every weekend to see his family in Batam, Indonesia. He makes it a point to still find comfort in the cooking traditions he grew up with, especially on occasions like Ramadan.

Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, refraining from any food or drink throughout the day. When the sun sets, they break their fast with a meal called iftar. And what food to break the fast with? “Good food always makes a difference after a long day of fasting,” says Thomas.

Thomas is proud to share one of his go-to iftar recipes—Mie Tarempa, a well-loved dish from Indonesia’s City of Batam, province of Riau Islands (where Thomas is from). The name comes from mie, meaning noodles, and Tarempa, a small town where this dish is a staple.

Mie Tarempa is a humble plate of noodles tossed with fish, eggs, and bean sprouts. The best part? It’s quick to prepare and packed with comforting flavours.

Because it takes less than 30 minutes to cook and requires just four main ingredients, Mie Tarempa is an ideal iftar dish that provides the right balance of protein, carbs, and vegetables. Thomas likes to pair it with a refreshing side of acar (pickled cucumber).

Curious to try it yourself? Here’s Thomas’ recipe for Mie Tarempa, a perfect meal for iftar.

Mie Tarempa with Acar

Prep Time: 20-30 minutes | Serves: 3

Ingredients

Main Dish

• 300g mie telur gepeng (flat egg noodles)
• 100g ikan tongkol (mackerel tuna), thinly sliced
• 45g bean sprouts
• 3 eggs
• 30g garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 15g spring onions, sliced diagonally
• 600mL water
• 100g oil

Paste Blend

• 80g red chillis
• 60g shallots, peeled
• 40g garlic, peeled

Seasoning

• 90g oyster sauce
• 120g tomato sauce
• 60g sweet soy sauce
• 30g ikan bilis powder (anchovy powder)
• 5g salt

Acar (Pickled Cucumber)

• 90g cucumber, diced
• 30g shallots, peeled and diced
• 50g vinegar
• 20g sugar
• 3g salt

Method

1. Prepare the paste: Blend red chillis, shallots, and garlic into a smooth paste. In a pan, sauté the paste until fragrant. Set aside.
2. Cook the eggs: In a separate pan, add oil and stir-fry the garlic. Crack the eggs, stirring to scramble them.
3. Build the sauce: Add the sautéed paste back into the pan, pour in the water, and bring to a boil.
4. Cook the fish and noodles: Add the sliced mackerel and let it cook. Then add the noodles and mix well, ensuring everything is coated in the sauce.
5. Season: Stir in the oyster sauce, tomato sauce, sweet soy sauce, ikan bilis powder, and salt. Toss well. Add bean sprouts and spring onions, and stir for another minute.
6. Make the acar: In a bowl, mix diced cucumber, shallots, vinegar, sugar, and salt. Let it sit for a few minutes to absorb the flavours.
7. Serve: Serve the Mie Tarempa with acar on the side.

Chef’s Tips

• Mie Tarempa is best enjoyed hot.
• You can swap mackerel tuna for other types of seafood, like prawns or squid.

Iftar Mubarak! May this holy month bring you peace, joy, and endless blessings!