This plant-based twist on a Sichuan classic features crisped-up tempeh pieces instead of chicken in a sticky-spicy-sweet-savory sauce. Fresh Fresno chiles (as opposed to the traditional dried chiles) add fruity heat; if you’re spice-averse, cut them differently from your mini sweet peppers to make them easier to identify (and pick out) so that you don’t get an unexpectedly hot bite.
Be sure to give your sauce (with the pieces of crisped-up tempeh soaking in it) a good stir before adding it to your pan of scallions and peppers—the starch is likely to separate and settle at the bottom of the bowl. It will homogenize and thicken into a glossy sauce once it gets cooking in the heat.
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What you’ll need
New Star Foodservice Measuring Cups and Spoons Set
$12 At Amazon
Large Skillet
$90 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
20 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Whisk ⅓ cup unseasoned rice vinegar, ⅓ cup soy sauce, 3 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil, 1 Tbsp. cornstarch or potato starch, and 1 Tbsp. sugar in a medium bowl to combine. Set sauce aside.
Step 2
Remove dark green parts from 10 scallions and cut into ½"-long pieces; set aside. Cut white and pale green parts into ½"-long pieces; set aside separately.
Step 3
Heat 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add two 8-oz. packages tempeh, crumbled into about 1" pieces, arranging in a single layer, and cook, undisturbed, until browned and crisp underneath, about 4 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring often and drizzling in more vegetable oil if pan looks dry, until lightly browned all over, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl with reserved sauce.
Step 4
Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil in same skillet over medium-high. Add 4 Fresno chiles, ribs and seeds removed, coarsely chopped, 1 lb. mini sweet peppers, ribs and seeds removed, coarsely chopped, and reserved scallion white and pale green parts and cook, stirring often, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add 5 garlic cloves, finely grated, and one 1" piece ginger, peeled, finely grated, and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 5
Add tempeh with sauce and ½ cup water to pan and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and glossy, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in ½ cup salted roasted peanuts or cashews, coarsely chopped, and reserved dark green scallion parts. Serve tempeh in bowls over steamed rice.
Recipe notes
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