Looking to add a ton of sweet and spicy flavour to your tempeh? This vegan Balinese tempeh recipe will not disappoint! I learned how to make this from our host during a trip to Bali and I am thrilled I can recreate it at home.
Sweet & spicy
So aromatic
Bursting with flavour
Ready in 30 minutes or less
Ingredients For Vegan Balinese Tempeh
The key to this recipe being so aromatic and flavourful is the Basa Bali spice paste. Our host in Bali taught me how to make this spice paste and explained that it is responsible for the basic flavour profile of numerous Balinese dishes.
Don't panic though! If you don't have the time to create your own Basa Bali you can still make delicious tempeh.
The Basa Bali spice paste is made from: galangal, lemongrass, ginger, turmeric, candlenuts, shallot, garlic, kaffir lime leaves, bay leaves, and chillies.
The other ingredients you need for this vegan Balinese tempeh recipe are:
- Shallot
- Garlic
- Red chillies
- Kecap manis (Balinese sweet soy sauce or use regular soy sauce)
- Tomato paste
- Palm sugar (sub coconut sugar or even brown sugar)
You'll notice that there is a bit of overlap between the Basa Bali ingredients and the additional shallot, garlic, and chillies.
If you can't make the Basa Bali but happen to have a bit of ginger, turmeric, or even lemongrass on hand... add those in! You will get closer to the intense aroma and big flavour that the spice paste brings.
Additional aroma boosters are the kaffir lime leaf and salam leaf (fresh bay leaf). Again, if you don't have these you can still make delicious tempeh. If you do have them though, you will benefit from the full aromatic experience!
Method
This vegan Balinese tempeh recipe is very simple to make. If you're feeling a little impatient you could make your temeph in about 10 minutes. However, steaming the tempeh first will make a huge difference.
- Steam the tempeh for 15 minutes to decrease its bitter taste.
- Our host fried the tempeh first but I prefer to steam it. Personally I think the flavour is much improved by steaming and this method uses less oil.
- Meanwhile, use a mortar and pestle or small chopper to combine the shallot, garlic, chillies, and the spice paste (or any elements of the paste you have).
- If you don't mind some bigger pieces of shallot and garlic on your tempeh you can simply mince everything by hand.
- When the tempeh has steamed, heat all the spices on a pan with the soy sauce, tomato paste, sugar and water to create a sauce.
- Add the sliced tempeh to the sauce and stir to coat.
That's it! Remember to be creative if you are missing a few of the ingredients and improvise to get as close to the Balinese flavour as you can.
Uses For Vegan Balinese Tempeh
In Bali, we had this tempeh almost every night for a week when our host, Komang, would cook for us. This recipe was always included as part of a tasting platter Komang would make for our dinner.
I have recreated a number of the recipes Komang taught me so that you can make your own Balinese inspired tasting platter! Find all of my Balinese inspired recipes here!
Other uses for this vegan Balinese tempeh recipe would be to add it to:
- Fried rice
- Noodles
- Or protein bowls!
Recipe Cost
Without the Basa Bali spice paste this recipe costs us just under $6.00 Canadian. Considering tempeh tends to cost us around $4.99 the additional ingredient cost is quite minimal.
Using the Basa Bali spice paste increases my cost by about 50 cents to one dollar. Still, a protein source for about $3.50 each isn't too shabby. Especially when it is this delicious!
Let me know in the comments below if you experiment with this recipe or if you make my Basa Bali spice paste as well. Enjoy it alongside my Tofu Pepes, Urab, and Perkedel. Or, let me know how you have it!
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Vegan Balinese Tempeh Recipe (No Shrimp Paste)
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: serves 2
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A flavour packed vegan balinese tempeh recipe. Sweet and spicy, so aromatic, and the perfect addition to rice, noodles, or power bowls!
Ingredients
- 225 g tempeh
- 2 tbsp fried basa bali* (see notes for alternatives)
- 30 g shallot (one large)
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 1-2 long red chillies, deseeded*
- 1 kaffir lime leaf, torn in half* (see notes for alternatives)
- 1 salam leaf (fresh bay leaf torn in half)*
- 1 tbsp kecap manis (sub soy sauce or tamari)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- ⅛ tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp palm sugar (sub coconut sugar or sweetener of choice)
- 1 tbsp water (or more as needed to slightly thin the sauce)
*Ingredients you need that are not part of our pantry and freezer tips.
Instructions
- Steam the block of tempeh for 15 minutes to remove any bitter flavour. (To steam the tempeh: use a pot with a steaming basket. Add two inches of water to the pot and bring to a boil. Place your block of tempeh in the steamer basket and steam for 15 minutes). You can gently boil or fry the tempeh if you are not able to steam it but I prefer the flavour when steamed.
- When the tempeh is cool enough to handle, slice it into 1-2 inch pieces.
- Use a mortar and pestle to grind the fried basa bali, shallot, garlic and chillies into a paste. (If you don’t have a mortar and pestle you can use a small chopper or just mince the ingredients and mix them together).
- Add a dash of oil, water, or vegetable broth to a skillet and heat over medium low. Add the spice paste and the torn lime & bay leaves to the warm pan and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the soy sauce, tomato paste, white pepper, sweetener, and water. Stir and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Carefully add the tempeh to the pan and coat in the sauce. Cook for 3 minutes or until warmed through. Taste and add a touch more kecap manis or soy sauce if you want a bit more saltiness to come through.
- Serve warm as part of a balinese inspired platter with my tofu pepes, urab, and perkedel recipes. Alternatively, add to fried rice, noodle dishes, or power bowls. Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
Approximate Cost: $5.92 without the basa bali (under $7 with the basa bali paste).
If you do not have the ingredients to make my basa bali recipe you could omit it all together and still make tasty tempeh. If you have any of the following ingredients you can add 1-2 teaspoons of each: fresh grated ginger, fresh grated turmeric (sub with ¼ - ½ teaspoon ground), minced lemongrass, chopped candlenuts or macadamia nuts. These additions will get you closer to the flavour imparted by the basa bali.
Likewise, if you do not have a kaffir lime leaf you can omit it or splash the tempeh with a touch of lime juice for a hint of that aroma and touch of flavour. If you do not have a salam or fresh bay leaf you can use a dried bay leaf and remove it before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Various
- Cuisine: Indonesian
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