Tempeh is essentially a block of fermented soybeans that is quite firm and very different from the texture of meat. Although grinding the tempeh with a food processor helps break down the tempeh into smaller pieces, I still found the texture to be too firm. The challenge for me was to find a way to make the tempeh more tender. I suddenly remembered a pho tempeh recipe in Andrea Nguyen’s The Pho Cookbook, where she cooked sliced tempeh by simmering them with broth. I applied her cooking technique by simmering ground tempeh in broth for about 8 minutes. The tempeh softened, and the broth infused savory flavor into the tempeh. It was delicious!
CAN YOU MAKE THE TEMPEH LETTUCE WRAPS AHEAD?
Yes! I would cook the tempeh and toss it with the cabbage, carrots, and bell peppers and keep everything in a container. They will keep for up to 3 days. When you are ready to eat, rinse a few leaves of butter lettuce. Then, fill them and drizzle with peanut sauce.
TEMPEH LETTUCE WRAP VARIATIONS
If you have any leftover broth from my yellow curry broth or tomato and coconut noodle soup recipes, use it to cook the tempeh! Alternatively, you can toss the cooked ground tempeh with my honey chili sauce or teriyaki sauce for extra flavor.
MORE SIMPLE MEALS
Soba Noodles with Almond Butter SauceCurried Chickpeas with Mint & Cilantro ChutneySesame and Olive Soba NoodlesQuick Meals Archives
