Thai Tempeh Patties with a Red Chili Dipping Sauce

Though I have always enjoyed Thai cuisine, it has only been recently that I started to get passionate about it in my own kitchen. Armed with some wonderful Thai cookbooks, and of course the internet, I have recently made Hot and Sour Mushroom Soup, Homemade Massaman Curry Paste, and Massaman Curry.

Tempeh is a fermented soy product and the only soy foods you should consume are those that are fermented, such as tamari and miso. This means avoiding or at least seriously limiting your intake of tofu, soybeans and soy milk. Soybeans are by themselves a very detrimental source of proteins and nutrition due to a very high content of enzyme inhibitors and phytic acids that block the absorption of essential minerals and cause potential intestinal problems ? however, thorough fermentation in the production of tempeh, miso and soy sauce removes both the inhibitors and phytates.

For further information on the dangers of unfermented soy products, see this article by Sally Fallon.

Now to the recipe ...

Thai Tempeh Patties with a Red Chili Dipping Sauce

For the patties:

1 stalk of lemon grass
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 spring onions (scallions), chopped
2 shallots, chopped
3 red chilies, seeded and chopped
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
a generous handful of fresh parsley, chopped
12 ounces of tempeh, sliced
juice from 2 limes
1 teaspoon of sugar
dash of cayenne
3 - 4 tablespoons of spelt flour (or unbleached white flour)
1 large egg
sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
peanut oil for frying

For the dipping sauce:

3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
a dash of red wine vinegar
2 spring onions, finely chopped
2 teaspoons of sugar
2 fresh red chilies, seeded and finely chopped
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, finely chopped
a pinch of sea salt

In a food processor, combine the lemon grass, garlic, spring onions, shallots, chilies, ginger, parsley, tempeh, lime juice, cayenne, sugar, flour, egg and salt and pepper. Process into a smooth paste.

Shape the dough into small patties, adding a bit of flour if necessary.

Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the tempeh patties and fry until golden brown - roughly 4 - 5 minutes. Flip them and fry for another few minutes. Drain on paper towels.

To make the sauce, combine the balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, spring onions, sugar, red chilies, parsley and sea salt in a small bowl. Serve with the warm tempeh patties, garnished with a bit more parsley.

Yields roughly 10 patties.

More tempeh recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Oseng Oseng Tempe
Baked Tempeh & Japonica Rice Casserole
Tempeh-Miso Breakfast Patties
Tempeh Cutlets

On the top of the reading stack: The National Post

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