Last night I was thinking that I don’t make enough tempeh meals. Tempeh is one of those foods that I don’t really think I love until I’m eating it and then I think, “why don’t I make this more often?” I do have several tempeh recipes here on the blog:
Sweet and Spicy Tempeh, Tempeh “Fish” and Chips which get rolled over for Tempeh “Fish” Tacos and Po’ Boys, Chili con Tempeh, Tempeh Meatballs, Baked and BBQ Tempeh, Tempeh Reuben Sandwiches, Balsamic BBQ Tempeh, and Tempeh “Crab” Cakes.
Ok, I guess I do make tempeh dishes but not as often as I do tofu. Plus, I still have a Tempeh Bacon recipe that so far, is only in The “V” Word Cookbook Preview (which you can get simply by emailing me and requesting it).
Anyway, last night I wanted to make a bowl. At the end of a long day, bowls are comforting. Everything is in one dish that you can hold and it just feels good.
I decided to make a soy maple tempeh. The saltiness of the soy balances the sweet of the maple syrup with a bit of red pepper flakes for spice and mirin or vinegar for the acid. It has a very subtle Asian flavor but not enough to make you feel you are eating Chinese food.
While the tempeh marinated, I made the brown rice. The tempeh can be made in the oven but I just wanted to get dinner done with one pot (ok, two if you count the rice). So I pan-fried the tempeh until it was crispy and caramelized. Then I set that aside, only munched on one piece (ok, ok, two pieces) and sauteed the veggies.
I was running low on veggies so I used carrots, celery and bell peppers but of course, you can use whatever veggies you love. Don’t skip the red onions, though. They add great flavor. I used the leftover marinade as a saute sauce for the veggies and then again to braise the greens. I used spinach because that’s what I had but kale, collards or chard are also great.
After everything was cooked, I got out the bowls and put rice on one side of the bottom and greens on the other. Then veggies on top and finally tempeh slices. This was a dish that tasted like an elegant dinner mixed into one bowl. Delicious and comforting. I really should make tempeh more often.
Also check out my article on One Green Planet, “5 Tips for Making Amazing Tempeh Dishes.” Enjoy!
Soy Maple Tempeh Bowl
GF
For the Soy Maple Tempeh
2 8-oz. blocks of tempeh
1/3 cup gluten-free, low-sodium tamari
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 Tbs. mirin or brown rice vinegar
1/3 cup water
1-inch fresh grated ginger
3 minced garlic cloves
½ tsp. black pepper
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
1 Tbs. olive oil
For the Bowl
1 ½ cups brown rice
2 2/3 cups water
Kosher salt
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 red onion, halved and sliced
4 scallions, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-inch ginger, grated
4 carrots, sliced diagonally
3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
2 bell peppers, thinly sliced
Reserved marinade
Large bunch of chopped greens
A pinch of nutmeg
To make the tempeh: Steam the blocks of tempeh for 3-4 minutes if you want it softer. In a bowl or container, combine the tamari, maple syrup, mirin or vinegar, water, ginger, garlic, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Cut the tempeh into 1/4-inch slices and add them to the marinade. Cover and let marinate for at least 30 minutes. The longer the better. When you are ready to cook the tempeh, remove it from the marinade and pat it dry. Reserve the marinade for later in the recipe. Heat 1 Tbs. oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook the tempeh until it is tender and browned on both sides. You will have to do this is batches. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
To make the rice and veggies: While the tempeh is marinating, make the rice. Add the rice to a saucepan along with a sprinkle of salt and the water. Cover the pot and bring to a rapid boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered for 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning adjustments and set aside.
In the same pan that you cooked the tempeh in, heat another spoon of oil. Saute the onion, scallions, garlic and ginger over medium-high heat for 4 minutes. Add the carrots, celery and bell peppers and cook, tossing often, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in 2 Tbs. of the reserved marinade and cook another minute. Transfer the veggies to a bowl and add the greens to the pot. Add another few spoons of marinade to braise the greens a bit. Don’t let them cook too long or they will lose their color. Add a pinch of nutmeg and then check for seasoning adjustments. Remove from the heat.
To assemble the bowl: In each bowl, add a scoop of rice and some greens. Layer vegetables on top and then add the tempeh.
The “V” Word: Say it. Eat it. Live it.
- For the Soy Maple Tempeh¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
- 2 8-oz. blocks of tempeh
- ⅓ cup gluten-free, low-sodium tamari
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 2 Tbs. mirin or brown rice vinegar
- ⅓ cup water
- 1-inch fresh grated ginger
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 Tbs. olive oil
- For the Bowl
- 1 ½ cups brown rice
- 2⅔ cups water
- Kosher salt
- 1 Tbs. olive oil
- 1 red onion, halved and sliced
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1-inch ginger, grated
- 4 carrots, sliced diagonally
- 3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 2 bell peppers, thinly sliced
- Reserved marinade
- Large bunch of chopped greens
- A pinch of nutmeg
- To make the tempeh: Steam the blocks of tempeh for 3-4 minutes if you want it softer. In a bowl or container, combine the tamari, maple syrup, mirin or vinegar, water, ginger, garlic, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Cut the tempeh into ¼-inch slices and add them to the marinade. Cover and let marinate for at least 30 minutes. The longer the better. When you are ready to cook the tempeh, remove it from the marinade and pat it dry. Reserve the marinade for later in the recipe. Heat 1 Tbs. oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook the tempeh until it is tender and browned on both sides. You will have to do this is batches. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- To make the rice and veggies: While the tempeh is marinating, make the rice. Add the rice to a saucepan along with a sprinkle of salt and the water. Cover the pot and bring to a rapid boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered for 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning adjustments and set aside.
- In the same pan that you cooked the tempeh in, heat another spoon of oil. Saute the onion, scallions, garlic and ginger over medium-high heat for 4 minutes. Add the carrots, celery and bell peppers and cook, tossing often, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in 2 Tbs. of the reserved marinade and cook another minute. Transfer the veggies to a bowl and add the greens to the pot. Add another few spoons of marinade to braise the greens a bit. Don’t let them cook too long or they will lose their color. Add a pinch of nutmeg and then check for seasoning adjustments. Remove from the heat.
- To assemble the bowl: In each bowl, add a scoop of rice and some greens. Layer vegetables on top and then add the tempeh.
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