Tempeh is a traditional Indonesian food made from whole soy beans (other beans and grains can be used) that are inoculated with a special strain of mold that binds the beans together to form a cake. The taste is nutty and mushroomy with a chewy texture that makes it a nice change from tofu. The spongy texture of tempeh will soak up more flavour from the sauces it's cooked in than tofu. Look for it in the freezer section or by the veggie burgers in a natural foods store, like Whole Foods.
I served the tempeh as the filling of a big gluten-free sandwich made with shredded hashbrown potato pancakes acting as the "bread". Serve it hot or cold on salads, baked potatoes, with pasta, or as a garnish in soups. Try cubing it and adding it to Asian Unfried Rice or Mushroom Unfried Noodles.
makes 16 strips
225 grams/8 ounces plain gluten-free tempeh, defrosted
Marinade
2 Tablespoons gluten-free tamari
3 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon barbecue seasoning rub (I used Stubbs) or:
1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
To your health and happiness,
Beans and Rice