Tempeh. Love it or hate it? I have to admit, there are only a few ways I like it. One is in a curried delicious chicken salad like sandwich (get the recipe here!) and the other is in a good ole stir fry smothered in a delicious sauce like this one. (If you’re in the US, tempeh can be found at Trader Joe’s and most other healthier grocery store chains. In Canada the plain unflavoured tempeh is a little bit harder to come by but again you will find it at your alternative grocery stores.)
Although tempeh is made from soybeans like tofu is, the similarities end there. The taste and texture of tempeh is completely different as it uses the whole bean (vs. just the ‘milk’) and is not boiled and curdled but fermented into a ‘cake’ instead. The fermentation process adds a multitude of vitamins to the finished product and also decreases the phytic acid which means that the soybeans’ nutrients are better absorbed. Tempeh is a whole food that is also very high in protein.
Although tempeh has a mild nutty flavour, it can be a bit bitter if not simmered in liquid before using. It is a good idea to simmer it in a vegetable or other flavoured broth or marinate it after the fact. It absorbs flavours well and is particularly good when seared in a hot pan to add a crunchy layer.
If you are not a tempeh fan this recipe could care less! Leave it out for a delicious, healthy sweet and sour like sauce that you can pretty much add anything to.
Prepare your ingredients. 
Anyone who knows me knows that I am slightly obsessive with purchasing kitchen gadgets, small appliances, cookware etc and although I am completely out of room for all this kitchen stuff, I didn’t have a wok until recently. I wasn’t sure that I would use it ‘enough’ as I seriously have nowhere to put this stuff (We ARE currently building and I will have space soon!). I went ahead anyway (surprise!) and bought this one and OMG. What the heck did I ever do without it? I seriously LOVE this thing. It’s easy to clean and use and it just makes everything taste better. Really. It cooks food quickly with very little oil and adds a smoky, caramelized flavour that you will just never get with an ‘ordinary’ frying pan. This carbon steel wok is made for an electric stove and if you are unfortunate and cooking over electric heat like I am here’s the link for this flat bottomed wok. (If you are cooking over gas you will need a carbon steel wok with a rounded bottom).
Prepare your sauce by adding the pineapple juice, white wine, rice vinegar, tamari, apricot preserves, agave, pressed garlic, grated ginger, chili flakes, and salt to a small saucepan. Mix well and bring it to a simmer over medium heat and allow it to cook and reduce by approximately one third. This should take about 25 minutes. Remember to stir it frequently and make sure it doesn’t burn. When the sauce has reduced by one third, add your cornstarch slurry and whisk until thickened. Set aside.
Meanwhile simmer the cut up tempeh gently in the vegetable broth for 15 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
Cut your broccoli and carrots and blanch each ingredient separately for 3-4 minutes in boiling water. Drain immediately and plunge into a cold bowl of water to stop the cooking process (and retain those gorgeous colours!)
Chop and prepare the remaining ingredients. Heat your wok over medium high heat. Once hot add the sesame oil (or oil of choice). Allow it to heat up and add your tempeh. Stir frequently cooking for about 4-6 minutes until the tempeh is browned to your liking. Remove the tempeh to a clean dish and set aside.
Reheat your wok and add your onions cooking for about a minute. (You will be stirring these ingredients almost continuously to prevent burning.) Add your red pepper and continue stirring for another minute. Add your blanched, drained carrots and broccoli and stir to reheat. Add your chopped pineapple. Return the cooked, browned tempeh to the wok.
Add your sauce slowly to the wok. You may not need it all depending on how much sauce you like. Stir gently to coat the ingredients. Taste and add salt, pepper and or more red chile flakes if desired. Garnish with chopped green onion and sesame seeds.
Serve over rice or noodles. Enjoy!
‘The Sauce’ in this recipe was adapted from the glaze portion of Sarnos, Chad. “Sweet and Sour Tofu”. Rouxbe Recipes.
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- The Sauce:
- 2 cups pineapple juice
- 1 cup white wine
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp tamari
- ¼ cup Apricot preserves (smooth, not lumpy!)
- 3 tbsp agave
- 5 cloves of garlic, pressed
- 1 tbsp ginger, finely grated
- ¼-1/2 tsp red chile flakes
- ⅛ tsp salt
- pepper (optional)
- 2½ tbsp cornstarch mixed with 5 tbsp of water to make a slurry
- The Rest:
- 1-2 cakes of tempeh, cut into bite sized pieces
- 3 cups (approximate) vegetable broth
- 1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced thinly diagonally
- 1½ tbsp sesame oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 1½ cups pineapple, chopped
- 1 red pepper chopped
- 3 green onions
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- Prepare your sauce by adding the pineapple juice, white wine, rice vinegar, tamari, Apricot preserves, agave, pressed garlic, grated ginger, chili flakes, and salt to a small saucepan. Mix well and bring it to a simmer over medium heat and allow it to cook and reduce by approximately one third. This should take about 25 minutes. Remember to stir it frequently and make sure it doesn't burn.
- When the sauce has reduced by one third, add your cornstarch slurry and whisk until thickened. Set aside.
- Meanwhile simmer the cut up tempeh gently in the vegetable broth for 15 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
- Cut your broccoli and carrots and blanch each ingredient separately for 3-4 minutes in boiling water. Drain immediately and plunge into a cold bowl of water to stop the cooking process (and retain those gorgeous colours!)
- Chop and prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Heat your wok over medium high heat. Once hot add the sesame oil (or oil of choice). Allow it to heat up and add your tempeh. Stir frequently cooking for about 4-6 minutes until the tempeh is browned to your liking. Remove the tempeh to a clean dish and set aside
- Add your onions to the wok and cook for about a minute. (You will be stirring these ingredients continuously to prevent burning.)
- Add your red pepper and continue stirring for another minute.
- Add your blanched, drained carrots and broccoli and stir to warm.
- Add your chopped pineapple.
- Return the cooked tempeh to the wok.
- Add your sauce slowly to the wok. You may not need it all depending on how much sauce you like. Stir gently to coat the ingredients.
- Taste and add salt, pepper and or more red chile flakes if desired.
- Garnish with chopped green onion and sesame seeds.
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