If you are craving jerk chicken, or a really spicy chicken dish, then this vegan tempeh version is just what you need.
Jerk sauce goes super well with tempeh for a couple of reasons. Mainly, and let’s be honest here, tempeh is not a flavour most people (anyone) can get used to so disguising it with a tasty and mind-blowingly hot sauce is a great way to use it.
I have also recently purchased a vitamix. Without getting too much into it, it has changed my life. I can make sauces like this without any preparation, just wash the veg and chuck it in. If you have not remortgaged your house to get one though, a standard blender, or even food processor will work, you will just have to put in a bit of elbow grease to make it happen.
Tempeh is a less processed version of tofu. It looks like tofu has not quite been completed and as a result the soy bean is still largely full. This is supposed to look like that and the reason why it is healthier. It is really high in protein and as vegan athletes, whatever anyone says, you NEED protein so get used to making a few tempeh dishes. Your post workout body will thank you for it.
There is a video of this in my video section too…
Get it into ya!
Serves 2
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 318
- Fat: 13.9g
- Sat Fat: 2.9g
- Carbs: 20.4
- Protein: 27.5g
Ingredients:
- 300g package tempeh, cut widthways into 8 pieces
- ½ onion, roughly chopped
- 3-4 Spring Onions, roughly chopped
- 2 small hot red chillies and 1 red chilli pepper, roughly chopped (you can use scotch bonnets if you can get them, those buggers give a good kick!)
- Thumb-sized piece ginger, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tamari/low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon allspice
- Salt and pepper
Cook it:
- Add all the ingredients except for the tempeh to a food processor, or even better , a blender, or even even betterer, a high powered blender. I used a vitamix so didn’t have to chop any of the veg first, if you don’t have a high powered blender, chop the veg and stir half way to make it as liquefied as possible. Blitz until you have a nice liquidy paste
- Put the tempeh pieces in a 20cm x 20cm baking tray and pour the liquid over. Cover with aluminium foil and marinate in the fridge for at least an hour. I like to do it over night so the tempeh really takes the flavour
- When marinated, preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius
- Put the baking tray in (still covered) and bake for 30 minutes
- Take the foil off, turn the tempeh over, put the foil back on and bake for another 30 minutes
- Remove the foil, turn the tempeh and cook uncovered for a further 10 – 15 minutes. During this time, the marinate will mysteriously thicken and you will be left with amazing, and exceptionally hot, jerk tempeh slices
- I usually serve this with a chopped salad or as I did here, some quinoa/beans cooked in coconut milk and a cooling mango salsa (recipe to come)
- Get it into ya!
Maximum Vegan 