Tempeh with Ginger and Vegetables

 

¼ cup soy sauce or tamari

¼ cup water

2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons agave

1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon peanut butter

2 teaspoons Chinese Five Spice (optional), divided
8 ounces of tempeh, cubed into bite sized pieces
2-3 tablespoons canola or grapeseed oil, or any neutral oil
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

1 onion, peeled and sliced

1 red pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

½ large bok choy, cut into large pieces

chopped parsley or cilantro as a garnish

  1. In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, water, sesame oil, rice vinegar, agave, peanut butter, and 1 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice. When it’s combined, whisk in the corn starch until no lumps remain. Set aside
  2. This step is optional. If you skip it, go to the next step. This makes the tempeh a bit softer and moister: In a saucepan, add the unsliced tempeh, the remaining teaspoon of Chinese Five Spice and enough water to cover it. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the tempeh from the saucepan and set it aside to cool
  3. Cut the tempeh into bite-sized pieces (even if you skipped the previous step)
  4. Place a wok or a large skillet over a medium-heat. When it’s hot, add 2 tablespoons of the canola oil, and the tempeh. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, turning it every few minutes so that all sides are browned. Turn the heat to low and add approximately 2 tablespoons of the sauce and continue to cook until the tempeh is fully coated in the sauce. Remove to a bowl, and return the wok to the stovetop over a medium/medium-high heat
  5. When the wok is hot, add in the remaining tablespoon of oil, and add in the carrots, and cook for 1 minute. Add the onion and red pepper, and cook for another 2 minutes. You may need to splash in water to keep the vegetables from sticking to the pan
  6. Stir the remaining sauce again, to make sure there are no cornstarch lumps. Add the garlic and ginger, and cook until it’s fragrant. Add the bok choy and the remaining sauce. When it come to a simmer, reduce the heat to maintain the simmer, cover, and cook for two more minutes, or until the bok choy is cooked to your liking
  7. Combine the tempeh into the mixture, and serve over rice or quinoa

Makes 2-3 servings

Other things you can add to this dish: Whatever might be in your fridge, including celery, spinach, kale (or other greens), cabbage, green beans, zucchini, and Brussels sprouts, etc.