25 minute ginger peanut tempeh

BANG BANG BANG BANG PLOP BANG *shout* BANG BANG CLANG.

The anthem of the past few afternoons around here.

I’ve felt a bit cooped up these past few days thanks to the roofing hullabaloo outside. I don’t have to confine myself to my house but it’s a little easier to stay holed inside than dodging around falling debris (even though they’re polite about halting work when someone walks beneath). I do appreciate the fact that they moved my plants under a wood plank barrier when they started working.

Oddly enough I perhaps grew accustomed to the noise since I managed to take a nap in the afternoon. I guess I was tuckered out by the ruckus and rather indifferent about it eventually.

I guess an alternative way to frame my homebody state of affairs is that I enjoyed a cozy day. Kept a candle burning until it actually fizzled out entirely. Tidied up a little. I was afraid these few days of being alone in the house would drive me nuts, but I’ve kept busy.

Busy, indeed, bringing ya’ll some new foods to try over the next days! Ginger Peanut Tempeh is a wonderful thing to have fresh and hot for dinner or heated up as leftovers for lunches during the week. Prepped this so we’d have some food to eat when we return next Tuesday, and I ain’t lying when I tell you that 25 minutes really is the time from start to finish. Mix up a sauce, crumble some tempeh, and saute the shit in the pan until done. Simple, vegan, and beautifully flavored.

Dish out the tempeh with rice, sesame seeds, and green onions, my typical triage for Asian-inspired foods. If you’ve got some spicy mayo in your fridge, all the better!

Check Your Tempe(h)

Tempeh does kinda sound like how a Bostonian would pronounce temper, don’t you think?

Tempeh can be prepped various ways, from cubing to slicing into triangles to, as I do here, crumbling. In my view, it’s the lowest maintenance way, and easiest to pile into or on top of shit.

I start by tossing the tempeh in a little corn starch and black pepper. The starch helps crisp the tempeh nicely and encourages the sauce to stick once we add it to the pan.

Brown the tempeh in the skillet for about 10 minutes. I only stir it maybe two or three times to encourage that little crunch; too often and the tempeh is more apt to steam.

Peanut Butter Saucy Time

The sauce is more or less inspired by the dip you usually get with fresh rolls in a Vietnamese of Thai establishment. One of the most addicting combinations; I remember my mom and I practically had a holy experience the first time we made it ourselves.

What goes into the jar? A good base of soy sauce, creamy peanut butter (here you can use either a natural or not-natural form, up to you!), lime juice, brown sugar, ginger, and a little toasted sesame oil. You’ll wanna lick it straight. Shake in some vegetable broth, too, to thin it out. Water is fine if you’re watching sodium.

Once your tempeh is all cooked through, pour in the sauce and let it simmer for a couple minutes. I usually like to add a couple tablespoons more of broth if it thickens up too quickly.

DONEZO.

See? Nothing to it and a whole lotta yummy yield.

A little hint: a squeeze of fresh lime when serving is an excellent addition, if you’ve got some limes about you! And don’t forget to swipe a spoonful of peanut butter while you’re cooking. Hehe.

Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!

Tempeh to try:

Korean Inspired Spicy Tempeh Lettuce Wraps

Crispy Chipotle Tempeh and Black Bean Tacos with Salty Avocado Crema

Spicy Sesame Orange Tempeh Bowls

Honey Ginger Tempeh and Broccoli Noodles