I grew up with tempeh. When I’m hungry and think about home, I imagine eating rice with Gado Gado and tempeh. For some people it is an acquired taste and I know vegan friends that love it. But when you are used to Indonesian cooking you find tempeh is very tasty, usually served as a side dish, snack or main dish.
Tempeh (témpé) originated from Java, an island of Indonesia. Tempeh is made from fermented soybeans therefore has probiotic qualities and is a good source of fiber, calcium, iron and vitamin B. You can buy tempeh now in most grocery stores since plant based foods are becoming more and more popular.
There are many vegan recipes with tempeh, it is a good replacement for meat, thus a good source of protein. Here. I am presenting two different kind of recipes, both Indonesian style. The first one is Fried Tempeh.
Fried Tempeh
“Gebakken Tempeh” as we would call it in our family. Eat it as a snack with gado gado sauce and cucumber and you are in tempeh heaven.
Fried tempeh is very easy to make. After you slice the tempeh, you marinate it so the flavor can get into soya beans. Then you fry the pieces and let it cool off.
The trick is the frying part. I buy the best organic sunflower oil or coconut oil. Make sure the coconut oil is specially made for deep frying, not baking. It also helps if you have a wok in your kitchen so you can fry the tempeh quickly on high heat. The oil should not be too hot, the pieces can get black quickly. The temperature should be not too low, the tempeh will get greasy. The best way is medium to hot depending on your stove. Make sure the slices are done in the middle. The goal is to have them look golden brown, crispy outside and soft and done in the middle.
Warning: fried tempeh can be very addicting. You can’t stop eating it. Have some fruit, cucumber or other crispy snacks available.
Saving fried tempeh for the next day? Mostly they will be all gone. You can store this snack in a container, it will be soft the next day but still yummy.
Fried Tempeh (Gebakken Tempe)
Equipment
- 1 wok, also called wadjan
Ingredients
- 8 oz one block of tempeh
- 1 tbsp tamarind (asem)
- 1 tbsp coriander
- 1½ cups = 355 ml water
- 3 garlic cloves chopped fine
- 1 tsp kumin
- 2 tbsp soya sauce
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Cut the tempeh in not too thick slices and set aside.
- In a bowl, soak the tamarind in a little hot water until its dissolved and soft.
- Add the 1 1/2 cups of water and all other ingredients. Add the tempeh and stir well. Put the bowl in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
- After two hours. Prepare the wok for frying. Add the organic sunflower oil. Strain the tempeh and pat it dry with a paper towel.
- When the cooking oil is preheated, add a third of the tempeh and stir gently. keep the stove on medium heat. Turn the tempeh pieces until light brown.
- Take the tempeh out quickly when done and transfer to a plate covered with paper towel to absorb the access oil. Serve when cooled off.
Notes
Tempeh in Coconut Sauce
The second recipe is a tempeh dish with ginger, tumeric and coconut milk (santen) cooked very soft. This dish is a perfect protein dish for vegans. If you like it spicy, you can add sambal, a hot chili based sauce. I added zucchini and tomatoes but you can use green beans and red bell pepper instead. See what you already have in your kitchen and create! The taste is wonderful, soft and delicious. Serve it with rice for a perfect lunch or supper. You can make this dish in 22 minutes.
Coconut Tempeh
Equipment
- 1 wok also called wadjan
Ingredients
- 5 oz = 142 grams tempeh cut into cubes
- 1 onion sliced
- 6 small cherry tomatoes sliced
- 1 large zucchini
- 2 tsp ginger shredded
- 1 tbsp coriander
- 2 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp cayenne
- 1/2 tsp tumeric
- 1/2 can coconut milk
- 1 lemon squeezed
Instructions
- Saute the onion in a wok or stir fry pan. Use a table spoon of avocado oil or vegetable broth.
- Add all the spices and stir until you smell the aroma. Add the tempeh cubes and stir fry until golden. Add some broth if it's dry.
- Now add the coconut milk and salt. Simmer for 2 minutes. Now add the zucchini.
- Cook until the zucchini is almost soft, add the tomatoes and cook until those are soft but not dissolved.
- Add the lemon juice and stir. The tempeh should be cooked soft and done.