Indonesian-Style Vegetable Salad with Tempeh

This salad of crisp vegetables, crunchy tempeh and curry-cashew dip is a colorful and satisfying main course for a meatless Monday meal. Feel free to play with the vegetables and fruits according to the season and your whim. Marinated tempeh, a fermented soy product that has a hearty texture, can be found in many flavors in the refrigerated section of most grocery stores. Experiment with a few different types until you find your favorite.

 

Indonesian-Style Vegetable Salad with Tempeh

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup (7 oz./220 g) jasmine rice
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric
• Sea salt
• 1/2 cup (2 1/2 oz./75 g) roasted salted cashews
• 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) fresh lime juice
• 1 Tbs. soy sauce
• 1 Tbs. Thai red curry paste
• 1 Tbs. brown sugar
• 2 cups (4 oz./125 g) broccoli florets
• 1 cup (6 oz./180 g) green beans, cut into 2-inch (5-cm) lengths
• 1 cucumber, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch (6-mm) slices
• 1 cup (6 oz./185 g) fresh pineapple chunks
• 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 Tbs. canola oil
• 1/2 lb. (250 g) marinated tempeh, cut into strips if in a large piece

Directions

 

1. In a small saucepan, combine the rice, turmeric, 1/2 tsp. salt and 2 cups (16 fl. oz./500 ml) water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes.

 

2. In a food processor, combine 1/4 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) hot water with the cashews, lime juice, soy sauce, curry paste and brown sugar; process until smooth. Pour the mixture into a small serving bowl and set aside.

 

3. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. Add the broccoli to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Add the green beans and cook until the beans are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain the vegetables and plunge them into the ice water to stop them from overcooking. Once the vegetables are cool, drain and pat dry with paper towels. On a large platter, arrange the broccoli, green beans, cucumber, pineapple and bell pepper.

 

4. In a large nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the canola oil. Add the tempeh strips and cook until golden-brown and crisp, 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and arrange on the platter. Serve with the cashew sauce for dipping and rice on the side. Serves 4.

 

 

 

Find more simple, healthy meals for every night of the week in our book Weeknight Vegetarian, by Ivy Manning.