Before starting culinary school, I'd never eaten, let alone cooked, tempeh. And in general, I avoided most soy products (milk, tofu, even edamame) in an effort to promote hormonal health.
But Natural Gourmet Institute is a mostly plant-based school, so we're often forgoing the meat in many classic dishes. We've whipped up tofu marsala, tempeh bolognese, and millet burgers galore and I'm now no longer stranger to a good meat substitute. While I'm still fairly wary of processed soy products like tofu, I've grown very fond of tempeh, which I think of as tofu's wholesome older brother.
For the uninitiated (as I was, not 6 months ago), I'll explain the difference between the two in a little bit more detail. The whole soy beans that are the main ingredient in both tofu and tempeh are handled very differently to create each. Tofu's beans undergo quite a few steps before the final result is achieved. First, they are soaked and pureed with water to create soy milk. The beans' fiber is then strained from the milk, and a curdling agent is added to the milk. The curds are then strained from the milk and pressed into molds, at which point, you've processed the beans to the point where they're considered tofu! Tempeh, on the other hand, is considered a whole, unprocessed food. The soybeans are left in tact, formed into a cake, and left to ferment for a day or two. So not only are you eating a very minimally processed form of soy, you're also introducing some good critters to your micro-biome!
So while I'll dabble here and there with some tofu now, tempeh has become a food that I enjoy somewhat regularly, especially when I'm laying off the meat. And this recipe is one of my very favorite ways to eat it! If you're looking to try this recipe or tempeh in general, it's carried in many grocery stores, including Trader Joes and Whole Foods. If you're gluten free like I am, just be careful to double check your labels--many brands mix barley into their product!
Teriyaki Tempeh
Ingredients
- 8 oz tempeh
- ½ tsp fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ cup tamari
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
- ½ Tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil (or oil of choice)
- ¼ tsp arrow root powder
Instructions
- Cut your tempeh into bit sized pieces (about ½ inch thick), grate/finely chop your ginger, and mince your garlic.
- Whisk ginger, garlic, tamari, maple syrup sesame oil, and rice vinegar together to create marinade. Pour marinade over tempeh pieces in a medium bowl, ensuring full coverage. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
- Heat avocado oil over medium heat in a cast iron or non-stick pan. Remove tempeh from marinade and arrange in the pan in a single layer. Allow to sear, approximately 4-5 minutes per side.
- Once tempeh is seared on both sides, add the marinade into the pan with the tempeh and allow to come to a very light simmer. While marinade heats, create a slurry with your arrowroot powder. Mix powder with ~1 Tbsp water and mix well to combine.
- Once marinade reaches a simmer, add the slurry and mix to combine. Allow to cook for another 2-3 minutes. The arrow root slurry should thicken your marinade to create a sauce, at which point, remove the tempeh and sauce from the pan. Serve immediately over rice, zoodles, or eat alone--optional: garnish with sesame seeds!