Info
- Course: Main Course
- Skill Level: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Favorited: 16 Times
Can be made ahead of time.
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Basic Browned Tempeh
Cookbook
Tempeh is a partially cooked product, and it needs to be cooked further before it is edible. After years of experimenting, I have found this browning treatment to be the very best way to go about it. When you brown tempeh in hot oil in an uncrowded pan, it becomes crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside, with a delightful nutty-toasty flavor. Basic Browned Tempeh is a terrific staple for your cooking repertoire—a launching pad for many variations and a very satisfying protein solution, especially for breakfast.
This recipe uses two 8-ounce packages of tempeh. Several different types of tempeh are available (some are made with grains, some are straight soy). You can use any kind here.
You can brown the tempeh up to several days ahead of time. Store it in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator, and reheat it shortly before serving in a hot pan lightly sprayed with nonstick spray or in a microwave.
Another great use for Basic Browned Tempeh: Throw some into your dinner salad as high-protein, full-flavored “croutons.”
Yield : YIELD: 4 to 5 servings, depending on the context
Prep Time : PREPARATION TIME: About 20 minutes
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound tempeh, cut into ½-inch dice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Nonstick spray (optional)
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Freshly ground black pepper
Optional toppings:
Directions
1. Place a 10-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil, wait another 10 seconds or so, then swirl to coat the pan.
2. When the pan is hot enough to sizzle a bread crumb, add the tempeh and spread it into a single layer. Sprinkle in the salt, and cook for a good 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tempeh turns golden brown on all surfaces. If it appears to be sticking, push it to one side, lightly spray the pan with nonstick spray—or add up to another tablespoon of olive oil—and then resume sautéing until all surfaces are golden.
3. Sprinkle in the vinegar, letting it hit the hot surface of the pan (it makes a great sizzling sound) so it can reduce slightly on contact. Stir and cook over medium heat for another 5 minutes or so.
4. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature, passing a pepper mill and the topping of your choice.
Notes
WHAT EXACTLY IS TEMPEH?
Originally from Indonesia, tempeh is a firm, chewy, fermented “cake” made from partially cooked soybeans (sometimes with grain added) that have been inoculated with spores and then incubated. It is a very versatile, high-protein food that can be used in a wide range of savory dishes. Look for tempeh in the refrigerator or freezer section of natural food stores, shrink-wrapped in 8-ounce packages. If it frozen, defrost it before using.
© 2002 Tante Malka, Inc
Nutritional Information
Nutrients per serving
This recipe serves 5, and does not include any of the optional toppings. For nutritional information on the optional toppings, please follow the links above.
214 kcal
10 % daily value
0 % daily value
0 % daily value
376 mg
73 mg
17 g
1 g
0 g
10 g
0 mg
242 mg
3 g
14 g
14 % daily value
