With Tempeh It’s like with tofu. Simply so pure, it impresses with little to nothing in terms of taste. But its texture is strong and if you look to Indonesia, they succeed there, along with spicy frying and the sweet soy sauce Kecap Manis a small miracle: it makes tempeh irresistible. There they like to cut it into fine strips, but if you chop it up even further, it is reminiscent of Laotian larb (usually made with minced meat).
And finally, the selection of tempeh in the refrigerated section of the health food store is getting bigger and bigger – so it definitely has its fans. Not only because it is a perfect canvas for vegan “minced meat dishes”, but because it scores points with its properties in terms of compatibility and nutrients. Tempeh usually consists of fermented soybeans and contains a lot of protein, potassium and magnesium. It is available natural or already seasoned. Both are good. You can use it great in burgers or, like here, in finely chopped form.
The pickles give the whole thing freshness and acidity. In addition, picking is ideal for radishes that have already lost a bit of their crunch. I always forget to remove the green stuff before storing it in the fridge, which removes the water from them.
Spicy tempeh crumble with quick pickles
For two
300g tempeh
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp neutral vegetable oil
2 cloves fresh garlic, pressed
1 ½ tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp honey or date syrup
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 tbsp chili crunch oil (from the Asian store)
½ tsp chili flakes
2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
for the pickles
125 ml apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
½ tsp sea salt
1 mini cucumber
6 radishes
1 red chili or hot pepper, finely chopped
Lettuce leaves and grated carrot
fresh herbs of your choice (e.g. chives or coriander)
Halve the radishes and cut the cucumber into thin slices. Mix vinegar, sugar and salt in a bowl, add radishes and cucumber and let sit for 30 minutes.
Dry the tempeh with kitchen paper and crumble it as small as possible with your hands or cut it into small pieces with a knife.
Heat both oils in a pan to medium temperature and fry the tempeh crumbs in it.
Make a sauce from soy sauce, honey, ginger, garlic and chili crunch oil (if you want to make it yourself, there is a recipe here) and pour it over the tempeh, stir well and add the chili flakes. Continue frying for 5-6 minutes until the tempeh is crispy.
Distribute the lettuce leaves, grated carrot and pickles on plates, serve with tempeh and sprinkle with peanuts, chili and herbs.
If you, like me, need a little dressing over the lettuce leaves, mix it with oil, the pickle stock and a little honey and pour it over them.
