I usually keep tamarind concentrate in my pantry when I want to add tangy flavors to a dish. I decided to use some tamarind paste to roast tempeh, sweet potatoes, and vegetables. The super tangy flavors of the tamarind glaze work so well with the roasted tempeh. I also roasted some chickpeas on the side so that they provide crunchiness to the dish, just like croutons.
WHAT IS TAMARIND PASTE?
Tamarind is a fruit that looks a lot like a large, bloated peanut. They’re grown on trees, and they’re commonly used in Asian, Middle Eastern and Mexican cooking. Inside the tamarind pod is a fruit that is sticky and sour. One of my favorite treats to eat as a child was candied tamarind (probably because the fruits were rolled in a lot of sugar). Because tamarind paste is very sour, you’ll want to balance it with a bit of sugar when you’re using it for cooking.
COOKING NOTES FOR ROASTED TEMPEH
Make sure to reserve 2 tablespoons of the glaze: Right after you finish roasting the tempeh and vegetables, you’ll want to toss them with the remaining 2 tablespoons of the tamarind glaze. This makes the tempeh and vegetables much more flavorful.Roast chickpeas on a separate sheet pan: It might be tempting to just toss the chickpeas together with the tempeh and vegetables. However, the chickpeas won’t be as crunchy as they would be if roasted separately.Not all tempeh is gluten free: I’ve seen some brands that mix barley into their tempeh. If you are on a gluten-free diet, be sure to read the ingredients to make sure that you are picking up a gluten-free variety.
MORE VEGETARIAN MEALS
Palak PaneerPaneer Tikka MasalaSimple Red Lentil Curry
