5-Spice Sweet Potatoes with Crispy Cabbage and Spicy Tempeh
After a couple weeks of fairly unhealthy activities and lots of beer, I decided to go on one of my week long health kicks. After a few days of only eating salads and seeds, I was really craving a hearty warming meal, especially on a rainy early september afternoon. After thinking a bit about what flavors I was specifically craving, this dish was created in my head and I went for it. The results were totally different from anything I have had in awhile and amazingly flavorful in a unique way. It’s totally vegan too!
Slowly brown the cabbage until it is nice and crispy. It takes about 45 minutes.
Chop up the tempeh.
Get the mix-ins ready for the sweet potatoes. Avocado is the secret to getting these nice and creamy without using actual cream.
Roasted garlic also adds a much needed depth of flavor.
Don’t let the masher fool you, I actually had to food process this to get it nice and creamy.
The tempeh is seared, and then tossed in the chile-garlic sauce.
All the components combined.
The flavor and texture combineations in this are fantastic. Crispy cabbage, creamy potatoes, and chewy tempeh make you forget that there is no meat. The earthy 5-spice matches well with the sweet potatoes and contrasts with the piquant tempeh.
5-Spice Sweet Potatoes with Crispy Cabbage and Spicy Tempeh
Ingredients
- 4 Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- 2 Avocados
- 2 Tablespoons 5 Spice
- 1 Head Roasted Garlic
- 1 Head Purple Cabbage
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Package Tempeh
- 2 Tablespoons Thai Chile-Garlic Paste
- 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Sriracha
- 2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Honey
Instructions
- For the potato – Peel the roasted potatoes, squeeze the roasted garlic out of the paper, mix it all together. Use a food processor to make it smooth.
- For the cabbage – Just a head of shredded purple cabbage sauteed in oil for about 45 minutes until nice and crispy
- For the Tempeh – cut it, sear it. Mix together the thai chile-garlic sauce, soy, sriracha, rice vinegar, and honey. Amounts listed are approximate so taste it as you go. Dump it into the pan with the seared tempeh and stir. Kill the heat.
Looks great, Dan. I haven’t cooked with tempeh but I bet this would be equally delicious with tofu. I like the idea of browning the cabbage long and slow, too!
Dan, this looks awesome but how much of the sauce ingredients? I know it’s natural to you but there really isn’t a recipe here. Any guidance? Looks awesome!