tempeh recipes

[ellaminnowpea]

So I have a package of tempeh. I've never cooked or eaten tempeh before so I really have no idea how I should cook it. Does anyone have good recipes for me? I have very limited cooking skills but am willing to try anything. Thanks! :)

[sponge]

There are so many recipes for tempeh but this is what I usually do. :)

1. I usually poach it or steam it first. (just because most of my recipes say to do that, but I'm not sure if it's totally necessary.)

2. Then I cut it into small cubes. (You can put it in marinade at this point for a couple hours or overnight. I've cooked it with and without marinating it.)

3. Saute it in a little oil. (I like to add a tiny amount of sesame oil to the regular oil because I like the taste)

4. After it has browned and crisped up, I add my favorite sauce, either store-bought or homemade. (sweet and sour, barbecue, etc.) I then serve it over noodles with maybe some cooked broccoli and cauliflower if I feel like it. :)

[ellaminnowpea]

Oh that's so easy! It sounds just like making tofu. How can I steam it?

What kind of marinade can I do? I don't have any dressings or sauces except some oils and balsamic vinger. Could I use that? Or could I use some spices? I have the most common spices here.

[sponge]

I've put mine in a steamer, but I've also put it in a pan with some water and cooked it for a few minutes on both sides. I guess doing this is supposed to make it more digestible and to mellow the flavor.

For marinade, I just throw together whatever I feel like or whatever's in my fridge. Start with maybe any of these: soy sauce, lemon juice, vinegar, brown sugar, maple syrup, garlic, orange juice, a little olive oil, sesame oil, ginger, assorted spices.. Just make a concoction. Whatever sounds good to you and it will taste great. :)

As for a sauce, I really like to mix some brown sugar with pineapple juice, a touch of soy sauce, perhaps some apricot jam for a sweet and sour sorta sauce. A sauce isn't necessary. It just gives it a tasty glaze.

Many people crumble tempeh and add it to their favorite chili or sloppy joe recipes. That's another option.

:(The only way I did not like tempeh was when I followed a recipe to make a mock "chicken salad" with it. I thought it was simply nasty. Just my opinion though. :)

[dreamqueen]

A super easy thing to do with tempeh is to grill or fry it (I prefer grilling because of the lack of oil and the delicious black bits from the edges of the griller) and toss into any salad or onto pasta.

lmnop: what cookbooks do you have? perhaps people can recommend their fav recipes to you.

[sponge]

Ahh grilling. Forgot to mention that tempeh can soak up quite a bit of oil so grilling is a great way to enjoy it without the added fat.

[ellaminnowpea]

Thanks so much! Your advice is great and this sounds pretty simple, I may be able to actually cook something!

How do you grill things? I don't have a grill, but I do have an oven. Can I put it in the oven?

I have Veganomicon and The Garden of Vegan. Both great but I'm thinking about making a stirfry with tons of veggies and tempeh on the side.

[Yoggy]

You should DEFINITELY try the "faux chicken salad" from "How it all Vegan". Better than any meaty chicken salad! Since you don't have that book, here's the recipe for the salad (soooooo good!!!)

1 cup tempeh, cubed
1/2 cup soy mayonnaise (I can send you the recipe from "How it all Vegan" if you like)
1 stock celery, finely chopped
1 medium dill pickle, finely chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped (I find this to be too much, so I use 1/4 onion)
2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
2 tsp prepared mustard
2 tsp soy sauce
1 garlic clove, crushed or minced

Steam the cubed tempeh for 15 minutes on medium-high heat. Set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, combine the tempeh with remaining ingredients and toss lightly. Serve over toast, as a side dish, sandwich/wrap filling, or alone. For a variation, add 1-2 tsp curry powder to spice it up a bit!

[Avery Yale Kamila]

I've been cooking a lot of tempeh lately. It's a perfect match for the remaining hold-outs from last fall's harvest, such as potatoes, carrots, shallots and onions. Best of all, tempeh is a warm, filling food capable of revving us up for the coming frolics of summer.

Here are the latest tempeh recipes I've cooked up.

Tempeh veggie homefries (http://communetestedcityapproved.blogspot.com/2008/03/easy-veggie-homefries.html)

Hearty tempeh stew (http://communetestedcityapproved.blogspot.com/2008/03/happy-st-paddys-day_17.html)

Potato pot pie (http://communetestedcityapproved.blogspot.com/2008/03/cookbook-notes-vegannomicon.html) (scroll down, it's below the cookbook review)


Happy eating!
Avery Yale Kamila
Portland, Maine
Commune Tested, City Approved (http://communetestedcityapproved.blogspot.com/)

[cedarblue]

despite all the 'bleugh's' about tempeh on here, i bought some frozen the other day and am looking for ways to cook it, i'm thinking bbq sauce, roast etc etc?

[Avery Yale Kamila]

I haven't done BBQ tempeh before, but it sound delicious. I've been interested in fermented foods lately and looking for new ways to use tempeh. I clipped what looks like a great recipe for tempeh bacon from the April issue of Vegetarian Times. It has liquid smoke and apple cider vinegar. Yum.

Do let me know if you try the BBQ, I'd love to hear how it goes.

[Avery Yale Kamila]

I found some more yummy tempeh recipes on the Delicious TV website (http://www.delicioustv.com). Just do a search on tempeh.

[flying plum]

I haven't done BBQ tempeh before, but it sound delicious. I've been interested in fermented foods lately and looking for new ways to use tempeh. I clipped what looks like a great recipe for tempeh bacon from the April issue of Vegetarian Times. It has liquid smoke and apple cider vinegar. Yum.

i've done this using smoked paprika miked with soy sauce instead of liquid smoke. worked quite well :)

amanda

[ellaminnowpea]

Oh, I totally forgot about this thread and should definitely use up that tempeh I bought a few months ago. (If it's still good). I think I'll check out these sites and figure out something good to make next weekend :) Thanks for the links and ideas.

[XxsarahxX]

i make a tempeh stroganoff, from the cook book
easy vegan cooking,
its very nice

[Kitteh]

I love love love the tempeh burger I get from a local cafe, it's served on a brown roll w/ satay sauce.

I can't seem to re-create this, I am going to try making my own satay sauce as the one I bought pre-made just did not work w/ tempeh.

I bought a pack of tempeh burgers the other week, I fried one and ate it with a salad and some Plamil mayo.

Edit: I ordered Tempting Tempeh last week and it arrived today! Maybe you could look at getting a copy http://www.aduki.net.au/books-current.html I have to buy some tempeh now so I can use the book.

[Linxie]

Does anyone know where I can buy tempeh in the UK? I've never seen it. Do any of the supermarkets stock it? I don't really have health food shops where I live, just a very small Holland and Barratt

[harpy]

The only places I remember seeing it on sale recently are larger health food shops like Fresh and Wild/Whole Foods Market or (I think) Planet Organic.

Goodness Direct sell it by mail order http://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk/cgi-local/frameset/sect/OVTT-Tempeh___Tofu.html only you need to buy a fair bit of chilled/frozen stuff at a time from them to make it worthwhile.

[cedarblue]

mine's still in the freezer :D

[ellaminnowpea]

Cedar, mine is, too. I think have some kind of aversion to cooking!

[august]

I usually bake my tempeh after it has marinated overnight. I buy organic 14x14 inch sheets of tempeh at my local co-op for about $11.

My Favorite BBQ Sauce
1 can organic tomato paste
water- enough for desired consistency- I like mine thick
2 T agave or vegan brown sugar
1 t dry mustard or 1 T organic stone ground mustard
1 t basil
1 T paprika
1 t chili powder
1 t pepper
1 t tamari
**sometimes I add a splash of liquid smoke

This sauce recipe covers about 3 cups of tempeh.
Break or cut tempeh into cubes
Cover with bbq sauce, cover and let sit in fridge overnight
Lay flat on baking sheet and bake @350 for about 30-45 minutes

I use this on pizza, sandwiches, casseroles and salads. Yum!

Yoggy- that 'faux chicken salad' recipe sounds so good! I've never thought of using it in that way but I'm going to try it asap. I'm going to use Fat Free Nayonaise in the recipe. Thanks! :)

[Kitteh]

I got my tempeh book, it's fantastic.

I've been making peanut sauce and having that on tempeh burgers on salad. And I made sweet n sour sauce, that was nice. And I marinated tempeh and used it in sushi, yummo.