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I got the inspiration for this off the internet, but I've changed it so much there's no point in looking up where.
The Cashews
3/4 cup raw cashews, whole or in pieces
These can be left out, but they add a nice touch.
Pour about a quarter inch of canola or other vegetable oil into a cast-iron skillet or other implement; heat thoroughly on high; turn down to medium and put in the cashews. They should be moved around gently with a slotted spoon so they don't burn. In my experience they look the same for several minutes and then turn a fine brown, at which point you should turn off the heat and get them out of there fast. Drain on paper towels.
If you do this step, you can use the same oil for the tempeh.
The Tempeh
I use three 8-oz blocks, usually mixing the types up. I think the last recipe had one straight soy, one soy and brown rice, and one soy and wild rice.
Cut the tempeh into strips suitable for frying readily. Mine end up about a quarter of an inch thick, maybe half an inch by two inches otherwise. I find rectangles easier, but some people do square chunks or little sticks.
Pour about a quarter inch of canola or peanut oil into a cast-iron skillet or other implement of your choice. Heat it up. Fry the tempeh in batches until it's golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Put it where the cat won't get it and you won't knock it over, but don't lose it. I once lost a plate of fried tempeh atop the refrigerator -- it's above my eye level.
1 or 2 medium onions, chopped
About four inches of fresh ginger, peeled
Four or six or eight cloves of garlic
2T canola or other oil
2T chili powder
1t tumeric
1t garam masala
1 or 2 t cayenne pepper
1 small can tomato paste
water or vegetable broth, maybe as much as 1 cup
2 or 3 T chopped fresh cilantro
1 or 2 T lemon juice
6 or 8 oz of peapods. You can leave these out, or use broccoli florets instead.
Heat the oil gently in the skillet, which you will have wiped clean of tempeh crumbs. Put in the onions and stir them around and, if you think this will work, leave them on low heat to crackle mildly.
Mince the ginger and garlic finely. I usually do mine in a miniature food processor, but the exact size of the bits is not that important.
Add the ginger and garlic to the onions and stir about for a few minutes. Add the chili powder, tumeric, cayenne pepper (I usually add 1 t now and think about whether I want a second, which can be put in at the last minute), garam masala, tomato paste, and water or broth. Mix well and add the lemon juice and the fresh cilantro. Let simmer, stirring occasionally. In my experience it's hard to add too much water, so if you're worrying about burning anything put in a bit more. It will thicken up again. Keep an eye on it.
Taste it after about 20 minutes. You can add more cayenne at this point, add salt if you want to, or soy sauce, or more vegetable broth. I have sometimes put in a teaspoon of sugar if the lemon juice seemed too assertive.
When you think it tastes good, put in the peapods and stir til they are heated through. Or until they are cooked if you like that, but I don't.
Add the tempeh, get that heated through as well.
If you have cashews, add them and stir them in well so nobody complains of cashew deprivation.
Serve over brown rice or white rice or noodles, preferably with some steamed green vegetables on the side.
Pamela
The Cashews
3/4 cup raw cashews, whole or in pieces
These can be left out, but they add a nice touch.
Pour about a quarter inch of canola or other vegetable oil into a cast-iron skillet or other implement; heat thoroughly on high; turn down to medium and put in the cashews. They should be moved around gently with a slotted spoon so they don't burn. In my experience they look the same for several minutes and then turn a fine brown, at which point you should turn off the heat and get them out of there fast. Drain on paper towels.
If you do this step, you can use the same oil for the tempeh.
The Tempeh
I use three 8-oz blocks, usually mixing the types up. I think the last recipe had one straight soy, one soy and brown rice, and one soy and wild rice.
Cut the tempeh into strips suitable for frying readily. Mine end up about a quarter of an inch thick, maybe half an inch by two inches otherwise. I find rectangles easier, but some people do square chunks or little sticks.
Pour about a quarter inch of canola or peanut oil into a cast-iron skillet or other implement of your choice. Heat it up. Fry the tempeh in batches until it's golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Put it where the cat won't get it and you won't knock it over, but don't lose it. I once lost a plate of fried tempeh atop the refrigerator -- it's above my eye level.
1 or 2 medium onions, chopped
About four inches of fresh ginger, peeled
Four or six or eight cloves of garlic
2T canola or other oil
2T chili powder
1t tumeric
1t garam masala
1 or 2 t cayenne pepper
1 small can tomato paste
water or vegetable broth, maybe as much as 1 cup
2 or 3 T chopped fresh cilantro
1 or 2 T lemon juice
6 or 8 oz of peapods. You can leave these out, or use broccoli florets instead.
Heat the oil gently in the skillet, which you will have wiped clean of tempeh crumbs. Put in the onions and stir them around and, if you think this will work, leave them on low heat to crackle mildly.
Mince the ginger and garlic finely. I usually do mine in a miniature food processor, but the exact size of the bits is not that important.
Add the ginger and garlic to the onions and stir about for a few minutes. Add the chili powder, tumeric, cayenne pepper (I usually add 1 t now and think about whether I want a second, which can be put in at the last minute), garam masala, tomato paste, and water or broth. Mix well and add the lemon juice and the fresh cilantro. Let simmer, stirring occasionally. In my experience it's hard to add too much water, so if you're worrying about burning anything put in a bit more. It will thicken up again. Keep an eye on it.
Taste it after about 20 minutes. You can add more cayenne at this point, add salt if you want to, or soy sauce, or more vegetable broth. I have sometimes put in a teaspoon of sugar if the lemon juice seemed too assertive.
When you think it tastes good, put in the peapods and stir til they are heated through. Or until they are cooked if you like that, but I don't.
Add the tempeh, get that heated through as well.
If you have cashews, add them and stir them in well so nobody complains of cashew deprivation.
Serve over brown rice or white rice or noodles, preferably with some steamed green vegetables on the side.
Pamela
