Tempeh satay, a plant-based version of traditional Thai chicken satay. It’s a delicious dish, especially if you enjoy it with a homemade peanut sauce.
As I told you on the previous post, the first meal I had in South East Asia last winter was a tempeh satay burger with peanut sauce. Although the burger was great, I prefer a vegan version of the traditional chicken satay (which is a popular Thai dish), using tempeh instead of chicken (tofu and seitan are also okay).
I have to admit that I didn’t like tempeh the first time I tried it, but I couldn’t live without it now. Some tempeh brands have a strong bitter taste (at least here in Spain), but others taste good. You can boil or steam the tempeh for 10 to 15 minutes to reduce the bitterness if necessary. However, all the tempeh brands I tried in Indonesia tasted incredibly delicious and weren’t bitter at all. Tempeh is a traditional soy product originating from Indonesia, so I guess why it was the best one I’ve ever tried.
If you can’t find tempeh in your area, or is really expensive, use tofu or seitan instead, it will be great as well. I usually pay about 5€ (over $5) for 8 oz or 250 g of tempeh, so I only buy it once or twice a week, because tofu is much cheaper and I couldn’t tell you which I love the most.
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Tempeh Satay
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 or 5 skewers 1x
- Category: Main dish
- Cuisine: Vegan, Thai
Tempeh satay, a plant-based version of traditional Thai chicken satay. It’s a delicious dish, especially if you enjoy it with a homemade peanut sauce.
Ingredients
- 8 oz tempeh (250 g), cut into bite-size pieces
For the marinade:
- 1/3 cup full-fat coconut milk (90 ml)
- 1/4 cup water (65 ml)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp cilantro seeds
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp curry powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 Medjool date
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 handful fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Add all the marinade ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer the marinade to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the tempeh, stir and keep covered in the fridge for at least 1 to 2 hours, preferably overnight.
- Thread a few pieces of the tempeh onto wood or metal skewers.
- Grill your tempeh skewers (you can also cook them in a skillet) with or without oil for about 5 to 10 minutes each side, or until golden brown.
- Serve immediately with some peanut sauce or your favorite dip or sauce. Keep leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
Notes
- Add your favorite spices and herbs.
- Dates can be replaced by any other sweetener.
- This recipe can also be made with tofu or seitan instead of tempeh.
- To reduce bitterness in the tempeh, you can boil or steam it for about 1o to 15 minutes. This is completely optional.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 skewer (of 5)
- Calories: 113
- Sugar: 3.4 g
- Sodium: 124 mg
- Fat: 5.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 8.7 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 8.8 g
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