Cashew Tempeh Stir-Fry
The key to a fast stir-fry is to start with bold flavors and use quick-cooking vegetables. Serve it over brown rice or with steamed potatoes—both perfect foils for the zing of flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 8-ounce package tempeh cut into 16 cubes
- 1 cup raw cashews divided
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
- 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 to 4 tablespoons water
- 2 large carrots
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 1 large yellow bell pepper
- 6 ounces kale
- 1 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, place the cubed tempeh.
- Into a blender or food processor, place ¾ cup of the cashews, the garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, and chili powder. Pulse, adding water as needed to achieve a texture slightly thinner than peanut sauce. Pour over the tempeh. Set aside.
- Dice the carrots, seed and slice the red and yellow peppers into strips, and de-stem and chop the kale. Finely chop the remaining ¼ cup cashews.
- In a large skillet or wok over medium heat, heat the oil. Drain the tempeh, reserving the sauce. Add the tempeh to the skillet and stir-fry until it begins to brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the vegetables and stir-fry until the kale has brightened and the carrots are tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Pour in the reserved sauce and cashews, stir to combine, and serve.
Notes
Gluten-free option: Use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari and gluten-free tempeh.
The Art of Perfect Tempeh
Many people—including me—prefer to steam tempeh before using it in a recipe. But the name of the game here is 30 minutes or less, right? If you prefer a tender, less dense tempeh texture, use the sauce ingredients as a marinade. Cube the tempeh, place it in a shallow dish with a lid or into a plastic bag, and pour the marinade over it. Store in the refrigerator overnight (or up to 3 days) before using it in this recipe. Excerpt from Fast & Easy Vegan Cookbook: 100 Mouth-Watering Recipes for Time-Crunched Vegans, by JL Fields, published by Rockridge Press. Copyright © 2019 by Callisto Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
Many people—including me—prefer to steam tempeh before using it in a recipe. But the name of the game here is 30 minutes or less, right? If you prefer a tender, less dense tempeh texture, use the sauce ingredients as a marinade. Cube the tempeh, place it in a shallow dish with a lid or into a plastic bag, and pour the marinade over it. Store in the refrigerator overnight (or up to 3 days) before using it in this recipe. Excerpt from Fast & Easy Vegan Cookbook: 100 Mouth-Watering Recipes for Time-Crunched Vegans, by JL Fields, published by Rockridge Press. Copyright © 2019 by Callisto Media, Inc. All rights reserved.