Creamy Tempeh Stew

A fantastic recipe from Marlene Watson-Tara. Marlene's work focuses on food, nutrition and the effect it has on our bodies and our planet.

Tempeh is low in saturated fat and contains a generous source of B Vitamins, Iron, Calcium and Lecithin, plus essential polyunsaturates such as Linoleic acids. These acids are important because they help emulsify, disperse and eliminate cholesterol deposits and other fatty acids that frequently accumulate in and around vital organs and throughout the bloodstream. Cooked along with the incredibly rich mineral Seaweed Agogo Herb Mix delivers one of the healthiest meals I teach all my students.

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh shitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp. shoyu
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 1 large onion thinly sliced
• 1 carrot finely diced
• 1 celery stalk finely diced
• 1 200g pack of tempeh cut into ½ inch cubes
• 1 tsp. Seaweed Agogo Asian Mix
• 1 tsp. dried tarragon
• 1 sachet of miso bouillon stock or 1 vegetable stock cube dissolved in 4 cups water
• 1 tbsp. kuzu dissolved in 2 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed ginger juice
• ¼ cup chopped parsley

Method

Bring a little water to the boil in a steamer pot. Add the tempeh cubes, cover and steam for 15 minutes. Warm a heavy based pan with a little water and add the mushrooms and shoyu. Cook for 5 minutes on low heat then add the garlic and onion.  Stir well, pop on the lid and let the vegetables sweat for 5 minutes to allow the mushrooms and onions to release their juices.  Add the carrot, celery, steamed tempeh, Seaweed Agogo mix, tarragon and stock.  Cover and cook on a very low heat for 45 minutes.  Stir in the kuzu to thicken and season to taste with a little more shoyu.  Add the ginger juice and chopped parsley. Serve over hot rice or grain of your choice.

Note:

Tempeh – A controlled fermentation process that binds hulled, cooked soybeans into a cake form makes tempeh, which originated in Indonesia and is still a staple there.  The beans are mixed with a mould spore starter and incubated for two days. The white mycelium of the Rhizopus vegetable mould keeps the soybean packed together to form a sliceable cake. 

Because of the fermentation process, the soy protein in tempeh becomes more digestible. Tempeh is fibre rich and a healthy source of vegetable protein, minerals and soy isoflavones and saponins, a class of phytochemical compounds found abundantly in plant sources.

Tempeh is low in saturated fat and contains a generous source of B Vitamins, Iron, Calcium and Lecithin, plus essential polyunsaturates such as Linoleic acids. These acids are important because they help emulsify, disperse and eliminate cholesterol deposits and other fatty acids that frequently accumulate in and around vital organs and throughout the bloodstream. Tempeh is always cooked before eating; you can steam, boil, bake, or sauté it.

You can enjoy tempeh with a wide variety of grains, vegetables, or noodles, or use it in soups, salads and sandwiches. You can also serve tempeh as a delicious main course in place of meat. For many, tempeh has become a protein backbone of vegan diets. This recipe is one of my favourite creations, a delicious warming tempeh stew for the cooler days of Autumn. Experiment with the ingredients to suit your taste and make this dish your own.