Tempeh LARB-A Thai Style STAR of a meal
This I will be adding to the family recipe book...
That's what my brain was saying while devouring this. I first had larb at a Thai/Laos fusion restaurant in Northern VA. My father and I loved this spot because you could choose Thai hot, Laos Hot or "regular." Regular is no fun so we often chose Thai hot , panting and sweating to see who could eat more. Larb is usually some form of minced meat or tofu, sauteed with fish sauce, lots of lime, herbs, chilies and toasted sticky rice. Of course I strayed away from the traditional as I often do....but it turned out great! With any popular dish, there are many variations. Just like with our tempeh;)
I used chickpea tempeh but I bet it would be wonderful with our Five Spice red bean. I've been chopping and steaming the tempeh lately, only for a few minutes. This opens up the tempeh to absorb new flavors and tenderizes it a bit.
Let's get started-
Here's what you will need:
10 oz cake Chickpea Tempeh
2 cloves Garlic
1/4 Yellow Onion
2-3 Spring Onion
2-3 Thai Chili(or Jalapeno, Serrano etc)
1/2 C Chopped Cilantro
1/2 C Chopped Mint(or Lemon Balm),
1/2 C Chopped Mint(or Lemon Balm),
1/2 C Coconut Oil
1/2 C Soy Sauce
1/4-1/2 C Lime Juice
A few sprinkles of fish sauce if you dare(not a necessity in my opinion)
Cube the tempeh and steam for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside
Add half of your coconut oil-about two spoonfuls and start to heat at a medium-high.
Mince yellow onion and garlic and add to oil. Cook for a few minutes.
After the tempeh is steamed, mince as finely as you can. Add to cooking onions and garlic.
Brown the tempeh a bit and add the rest of the coconut oil and spring onion.
Add the soy sauce, lime juice, fish sauce (optional), and chopped herbs.
Let the liquids cook down a bit, about five minutes.
Serve with rice and lettuce for a delicious meal!
*Serves 2-3