Vegan Bulgogi

I will never forget the first time I was gifted homemade bulgogi by a Korean employer and friend of mine many moons ago. I was absolutely dumbfounded at the explosion of flavours that she had created in that delicious, sticky, magical marinade. I couldn’t figure out how it was that so many Asian countries seemed to have mastered the art of making ridiculously delicious food while typical North American fare was often so repetitive, bland and boring.

Although I have not eaten bulgogi in many years, I wanted to recreate a vegan version that was quick and easy to make and that could be wrapped up in a flour tortilla or eaten in a rice bowl. Here’s my version and I have to admit, it’s pretty darned delicious. Prepare the marinade ingredients in a small dish by adding your sugar, grated apple, pressed garlic, ginger, sriracha, soy sauce and sesame oil. Whisk to combine.
Add your tempeh to the marinade and allow it to sit for at least an hour.

Put the walnuts in a food processor and pulse about 20 times until they are broken up into small bits (but not fully pulverized.) Set aside.
Chop your toppings: cilantro, carrots, cucumber, radishes and green onion.

Heat a cast iron pan to medium high and add a tbsp of oil. You want the pan to be quite hot in order to brown your tempeh and add flavour.
Remove your tempeh from the marinade (save it!) and crumble it by hand into the hot cast iron pan. Add your chopped walnuts. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so allowing the mixture to brown and get crispy bits.

Meanwhile pour the marinade into a small saucepan and warm it over medium high heat. In a separate small dish mix the cornstarch and water until well blended and add to the saucepan with the marinade. Continue stirring until mixture thickens in 2 or 3 minutes.

Turn off the heat to tempeh/ walnut mix and add the marinade to the pan stirring to coat evenly. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Serve bulgogi mix on a warmed wrap and top with cilantro, carrots, cucumber, radishes and green onion. Enjoy!

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5.0 from 2 reviews

Vegan Bulgogi

 

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Prep time

1 hour

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

 

Website: WhatTheHeckDoIEatNow.com

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• ¾ cup walnuts
• 454 grams plain tempeh (2 rectangular packages)
• MARINADE:
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 1 small apple peeled and grated finely
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 2 tsp ginger
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 2 tsp sriracha (use less if feeding kids)
• ⅓ cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• The rest:
• 1 tbsp of oil for cooking
• 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 4 tbsp water
• sesame seeds
• wraps
• cilantro
• 3 carrots cut into thin matchsticks
• ½ cucumber cut into matchsticks
• 4 radishes sliced into thin rounds
• 2 green onions thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Prepare the marinade ingredients in a small dish by adding your sugar, grated apple, pressed garlic, ginger, sriracha, soy sauce and sesame oil. Whisk to combine.
2. Add your tempeh to the marinade and allow it to sit for at least an hour.
3. Put the walnuts in a food processor and pulse about 20 times until they are broken up into small bits (but not fully pulverized.) Set aside.
4. Chop your toppings: cilantro, carrots, cucumber, radishes and green onion.
5. Heat a cast iron pan to medium high and add a tbsp of oil. You want the pan to be quite hot in order to brown your tempeh and add flavour.
6. Remove your tempeh from the marinade (save it!) and crumble it by hand into the hot cast iron pan. Add your chopped walnuts. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so allowing the mixture to brown and get crispy bits.
7. Meanwhile pour the marinade into a small saucepan and warm it over medium high heat. In a separate small dish mix the cornstarch and water until well blended and add to the saucepan with the marinade. Continue stirring until mixture thickens in 2 or 3 minutes.
8. Turn off the heat to tempeh/ walnut mix and add the marinade to the pan stirring to coat evenly.
9. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
10. Serve bulgogi mix on a warmed wrap and top with cilantro, carrots, cucumber, radishes and green onion.
11. Enjoy!

3.5.3226