STICKY TEMPEH ‘RIBS’

Rumor has it that summer isn’t over yet, so there’s no need to lock away your barbecue – just yet.

For something a little bit more adventurous, this super-easy veggie ‘ribs’ recipe by David & Charlotte Bailey.

These ‘ribs’ are a great part of a veggie barbecue and work well served with rice and Asian greens, or our rainbow slaw.

Ubiquitous throughout Indonesia, we’re always surprised not to see more tempeh but you can generally find it in health food shops, sometimes in the freezer section.

Kecap manis, an Indonesian sweet soy sauce, is one of our star condiments and is available in most Asian grocers.

It’s thick like treacle and absolutely delicious added to stir-fries and rice dishes.

Serves 2–4

250g/9oz tempeh, cut into 5-mm/¼-in thick slices

What you need:

For the marinade
1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted
1 tsp coriander seeds, toasted
1 garlic clove, chopped
1½ tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp kecap manis, plus 2 tbsp to serve
1 handful coriander (cilantro), chopped, plus a little extra to garnish

For the salsa

2 small shallots, finely sliced
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
½ handful coriander (cilantro), chopped
juice and zest of ½ lime
salt and black pepper
2 tbsp kecap manis marinade

What to do:

First make the marinade. Place the toasted cumin and coriander seeds in a pestle and mortar and grind until powdered. Add the garlic, grind a
little more, then add the olive oil and kecap manis and grind again. Mix in the chopped coriander to finish.

Put the tempeh slices into a large bowl and then pour over the
marinade, making sure they’re fully coated. Leave to one side for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your barbecue or oven grill (broiler).

Put the tempeh slices on/under the grill (place the slices in a roasting pan if cooking indoors) and cook, basting regularly with the leftover marinade
and turning as needed to get a nice colour on both sides.

Combine all the salsa ingredients with a little salt and pepper in a bowl.

When the tempeh is ready, serve on a plate and top with the salsa. Drizzle over the additional kecap manis and enjoy!

Recipes from Fresh Veggie BBQ: All Natural & Delicious Recipes from the Grill, David & Charlotte Bailey, Pavilion Books, photography © Liz and Max Haarala Hamilton.