Make Mine Pedes

JayNel Dutch Import shop has an interesting menu of Indonesian food for takeout. Dishes are sold frozen, so you can store them until needed, perhaps for a rijsttafel (rice table) dinner for friends. Two examples are empal pedes (beef) and tahu taoco (tofu), both spicy and slightly sweet. Pedes means hot with chile, so the beef is a bit fiery. It’s also so tender you can cut it easily with a fork. The tofu, cooked with bean sauce and a dash of kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), is milder. Accompany them with white rice and a salad and perhaps one of the hot Indonesian sambals from the store’s shelves.

Empal pedes, $6.25; tahu taoco, $5.75 at JayNel Dutch Import, 3115 W. 6th St., Los Angeles. (213) 389-8807.