A taste of spicy Indonesia

When I visited Indonesia some two years ago, I was pleasantly surprised to find tempeh abound. Apparently, tempeh originates in Indonesia. 4 ounces of this fermented soybean product has a whopping 41% of the RDA of protein. What a great vegan protein option and with an Indonesian spicy sambal sauce, you'll be sure to enjoy knowing how tasty and nourishing it is for you.

Tahu dan tempeh bumbu rujak AKA Indonesian tempeh in spicy coconut sauce

Grilled asparagus

Simply steamed brown rice

I first made a sambal oelek (spicy sauce) from blending Fresno chilies, ginger, garlic, kaffir lime leaves, fresh lemongrass, tamarind puree, a bit of raw sugar, and apple cider vinegar. To make the tempeh, julienned shallots were lightly fried in oil. Once they began to brown, I added the sambal to "cook" the spices along with turmeric. Cubed tempeh then made it's way into the large pot, all the while, stirring carefully as to keep the tempeh intact. Then the saucy part came in: a bit of vegetable stock and coconut milk. After allowing the curry to simmer, I adjusted the sauce with some fresh lime juice, a bit more raw sugar, and salt.