Tempeh Banh Mi

Tempeh Banh Mi Recipe

By Veegs

Ingredients

3 tablespoons (45 ml) tamari

2 tablespoons (30 ml) seasoned rice vinegar, divided

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon ginger powder

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

8 ounces (227 g) tempeh, simmered, cut in half laterally, then vertically to form 4 thin patties

½ cup (72 g) daikon matchsticks

½ cup (112 g) cucumber matchsticks ½ cup (56 g) grated carrots

2 tablespoons (10 g) minced scallion

1 tablespoon (9 g) minced jalapeño, or to taste

1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lime juice

½ teaspoon agave nectar, or to taste 1 clove garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon grated fresh ginger root Salt and pepper

¼ cup (56 g) vegan mayonnaise

2 teaspoons sriracha, or to taste

High heat neutral-flavoured oil, for cooking the tempeh

4 (5-inch, or 13 cm) pieces of French bread, sliced in half laterally, some insides removed, toasted

Handful fresh cilantro leaves

8 leaves romaine lettuce

Instructions

1Combine the tamari, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vinegar, the onion powder, garlic powder, ginger powder, and cayenne pepper in an 8 x 11 inch (20 x 28 cm) baking dish. Put the tempeh patties into the marinade. Marinate for 1 hour or cover and refrigerate up to 12 hours.

2Stir together the daikon, cucumber, carrots, scallion, jalapeño, remaining tablespoon (15 ml) vinegar, lime juice, agave, garlic, and fresh ginger in a medium-size bowl. Season to taste. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Longer refrigeration (up to 2 days) will lead to a more pickled flavour.

3Stir together the mayonnaise and sriracha in small bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

4Heat a thin layer of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the tempeh for 3 to 5 minutes until browned. Turn over to cook the second side for 3 to 4 minutes also until browned.

5To assemble the sandwiches, spread the inside tops and bottoms of the bread evenly with the spiced mayonnaise. Place a piece of tempeh on each bottom. Using a slotted spoon, top the tempeh with one-quarter of the pickled vegetables, a few pieces of fresh cilantro (to taste), and two lettuce leaves. Put the tops on the sandwiches and serve.

6Recipe Notes: If Thai basil is available, add a couple leaves to each sandwich for yet another layer of flavour. If serving these to people with varied heat preferences, add sliced jalapeños to the spice lovers’ sandwiches.

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Earth of Maria

Earth of Maria

I’ve never been good at introductions because when they’re needed, I seem to forget every single interesting thing about myself. But I guess we’ll start with the basics. My name is Maria, and I am a twenty year old student from England. I study history at the University of Oxford and live in Brighton, but I was born in Russia and moved to the UK around ten years ago. I’m a vegan foodie (as you can probably tell by this blog), a lover of long walks and somewhere awkwardly between extrovert and introvert. Veganism and healthy eating are a huge part of my life, given that both have helped me overcome an unhealthy relationship with food. Finding balance took a lot of time and patience. But, as with many things in life, hard work proved 110% worth it! Whenever I’m not in the kitchen or working in my room, you’ll often find me at the gym, or at the grocery store looking for inspo for my next recipe.