Maple-Soy Glazed Tempeh & Vegetables

📝 Ingredients

• 400 g plain tempeh (2 blocks of 200 g)
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 280 g basmati rice
• 4 carrots (about 100 g each)
• 300 g fresh or frozen green beans
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 2 spring onions
• Salt, black pepper

🍴 Utensils

• 2 saucepans + slotted spoon
• Large non-stick frying pan
• Chopping board and knife
• Peeler
• Colander
• Bowl

📖 Steps

1. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Cut the tempeh into 1 cm thick slices and drop them into the simmering water for 10 min: this step removes its bitterness and helps it absorb the glaze better. Lift them out with the slotted spoon and pat dry on kitchen paper.
2. Meanwhile, bring the second saucepan of salted water to a boil. Rinse the basmati rice under cold water, then cook it at a gentle boil for 10 to 12 min, according to the packet. Drain, return it to the pan and cover to keep warm.
3. Make the glaze: in a bowl, mix the soy sauce, maple syrup, crushed garlic and 4 tbsp water. Peel the carrots and cut them into sticks the size of the green beans, and top and tail the beans if fresh.
4. Salt the tempeh cooking water, bring it back to a boil and cook the carrots and green beans in it for 5 min: they should stay crunchy. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and keep their bright colour.
5. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Brown the tempeh slices for 3 min on each side without moving them, until golden brown and slightly crispy.
6. Lower to medium heat, pour in the glaze and let it bubble for 2 to 3 min, turning the slices several times, until the sauce thickens and coats the tempeh in a glossy layer. Careful, maple syrup burns quickly: don't take your eyes off the pan.
7. Set the tempeh aside on a plate. In the same pan, without washing it, heat the remaining oil and stir-fry the carrots and green beans for 3 min over high heat so they pick up the glaze residue. Season lightly with salt and add pepper.
8. Divide the rice between the plates, add the stir-fried vegetables and the glazed tempeh slices. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and finely sliced spring onions, then serve immediately.