In Australia at Sunshine Beach earlier this year, I did most of my food shopping at the Eumundi Markets. There was a stall called ‘Gourmet Roast Tempeh’. It was a fantastic organic stall with a mountain of freshly grown knobbly ginger and fresh turmeric root. There were also crispy broccoli, different Chinese greens, bunches and bunches of fresh coriander, and this delicious marinated tempeh. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera to capture all that beauty, but I came away inspired to make my own marinated tempeh.
Sunshine Beach, QLD, Australia
tempeh and its benefits
- Tempeh is a soybean cake made by fermenting cooked soybeans. It has an aroma that would be best described as mushroom-like. Because tempeh uses the whole bean (unlike tofu), it contains all its nutrients and can be considered a whole food.
- Tempeh is super high in protein, fibre, phytonutrients, vitamin B2 and minerals such as manganese, phosphorus, and copper.
- The fermentation increases digestibility (especially its proteins) and nutrient absorption, and most importantly, it deactivates the phytates and enzyme inhibitors present in beans.
tip
Always check the “sell by” date. It should have one, and you should ensure it is as fresh as possible.
MARINATED TEMPEH SANDWICH
I always make more than I need for the marinade, as it is handy to have on hand to spruce up a meal.
tempeh marinade
1 packet/200g tempeh
⅓ cup tamari
¼ cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp mirin
1 heaped Tbsp freshly grated ginger
for the sandwiches
whole-grain sourdough bread
peanut sauce (recipe below)
avocado slices
fresh salad greens (lettuce, arugula, coriander, etc.)
grated carrot and beetroot
freshly cracked pepper
prepare the marinade
- Mix the tamari, maple syrup, mirin, and grated ginger in a screw-top jar.
- Place the tempeh in a small shallow tray, pour over ¼ cup of marinade, and allow it to marinate for 30 minutes—1 hour. Then, turn the tempeh over and marinate for another 30 minutes. The longer it sits in the marinade, the stronger the flavours. Any leftover tempeh can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container for seven days.
- Slice the tempeh into slabs and use the leftover marinade in the peanut sauce below.
- Heat a spoonful of ghee or oil in a skillet; lightly saute both sides until golden. Remove from heat and set aside.
assemble the sandwich
- Slather a slice of bread with the peanut sauce. Place slices of avocado on top, followed by the tempeh, lots of greens, grated beetroot and carrot. Drizzle with more peanut sauce if needed.
Serve immediately and enjoy, or wrap up to take to work later that day.
variation
- If you are trying to avoid bread, wrap everything in a large lettuce leaf and drizzle lavishly in peanut sauce. If you have time, slice up fennel rounds and sweet potato slices, saute until a little charred in a very hot skillet and add to the sandwich or wrap.
- For a salad, toss big handfuls of garden-fresh salad greens, fresh coriander, grated carrot, beetroot, thin slices of red pepper, finely chopped fennel, avocado, and some cooked quinoa, millet or rice in a bowl. Place tiny cubes of marinated tempeh in a hot skillet with some oil and saute until golden. Add to the salad and drizzle with peanut sauce, an extra squeeze of lemon, and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. Enjoy!
EASY PEANUT SAUCE
makes about 1 cup
ingredients
⅓ cup organic peanut butter
4 Tbsp tamari marinade sauce (above)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
¼ – ½ tsp hot paprika or chilli powder
½ cup hot water
preparation
- Combine the peanut butter, tamari marinade sauce, lemon juice, and chilli powder in a bowl. Slowly pour in hot water, stirring between each addition until a creamy, thick sauce has formed.
- Taste and adjust by adding more tamari sauce, lemon, or sweetener (honey/maple syrup). It should be thick enough to spread, but you can thin it out later for more of a drizzling sauce.
references – https://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=126
Shared goodness from Stacey
