Kitchen Corner - Indonesian Tempeh Curry

Ingredients:

• 750g tempeh cut into slices
• 5tbsp sunflower oil, plus extra for frying tempeh
• 5tsp turmeric powder
• 5 small cinnamon sticks
• 40 cardamom pods, bruised
• 1L coconut milk
• 750ml water
• 75g carrot, sliced into matchsticks
• 625g sweetcorn, sliced lengthways
• 5 red capsicums, thinly sliced,
• 750g green snake beans, cut in thirds
• 5 tsp lemon juice
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh coriander

Marinade:

• 10tbsp soy sauce
• 10 tbsp water
• 5 kecap manis or brown sugar
• 2 ½ tsp hot chilli sauce

Garlic Paste:

• 20 garlic cloves, chopped
• 5 long red chillies, chopped
• 12cm fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

Method:

1. Make up the marinade. Pour over the tempeh slices and leave to marinate for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure evenly covered.
2. Blend the garlic, chilli and ginger using a mini food processor into a smooth paste, or chop finely.
3. Heat the sunflower oil in a large saucepan, add the garlic paste and stir-fry until fragrant. Add the turmeric, whole cardamom pods and cinnamon stick and quickly stir-fry.
4. Add the coconut milk and water, stir well and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Add the carrots and simmer for 5 minutes, then add the sweetcorn, red capsicum and green beans and simmer until just tender.
6. Add the lemon juice and season to taste.
7. When the curry is ready, fry the tempeh.
8. The tempeh should have absorbed most of the marinade. Drain off any remaining marinade, pat the tempeh dry with kitchen paper and fry in sunflower oil until golden and crisp. Dain on kitchen paper.
9. Top the curry with tempeh slices and chopped coriander and serve with rice of choice - coconut rice works well!