Tempting Tempeh

It’s been a terrifically hot day and once the sun dips down as well as the temperature, we just want to unwind on the couch and watch a DVD with dinner. This leaves me with the question, what to make?

Michael likes tempeh and I like sour. Put the two together and we have Cilantro Tempeh with a Sweet & Sour Stir Fry.

(image from Flickr)

Cilantro Tempeh
(recipe adapted from Enlightened Eating cookbook)

1 package tempeh (225g)
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 cups sweet onion, sliced
½ teaspoon coriander
½ teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ cup water
3 tablespoons ume plum vinegar
½ cup cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup red pepper chopped

1 cup chopped tomatoes

Steam tempeh in the top of a double boiler for 10 minutes. Remove and cool, cut into small dice-sized cubes and set aside. (I LOVE this method for working with tempeh. Steaming it first seems to loosen it up and prepare it to drink in the sauce).

Heal sesame oil in a skilled, add onions, and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add coriander, cumin, garlic, cayenne and cook another couple of minutes.

Add tempeh and water and cook over low-medium heat for 15 more minutes. Add ume plum vinegar, cilantro, red pepper and tomato. Heat through and serve.

(image from flickr)

A well-stocked pantry and fridge with a variety of oils and vinegars will definitely come in handy for this recipe.

Sweet and Sour Stir Fry
(recipe adapted from Clean Food cookbook)
½ pound udon noodles (I like to use kamut udon)
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
3 carrots, sliced thinly on a diagonal
1 large zucchini, ¼ inch thick sliced on a diagonal
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos (or feel free to use tamari instead)
1 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
¼ cup toasted sesame seeds

Cook noodles according to directions on package. Drain in a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Place colander on a plate and refrigerate until ready to use.

Heat wok over medium-high heat. Add grapeseed oil, garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute. (If anything starts to stick add 1 tablespoon of water). Add carrots and zucchini, stir and cook 3-4 minutes or until crisp tender. Add 1 tablespoon each of rice vinegar, mirin, and liquid aminos and cook 1 minute longer. Remove vegetables from wok and set aside.

Pour remaining tablespoon of rice vinegar, mirin, and liquid aminos into empty wok. Fold in the chilled noodles until evenly coated and heated through. Drizzle with sesame oil. Transfer noodles to serving plates, top with vegetables, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and place Cilantro Tempeh at the side.