five spice tempeh and noodles

First blog from the new kitchen! This isn't the first meal I've cooked since we arrived in Melbourne (I cooked a few times at SJ and Essie's house); nor is this the first meal I've cooked in this kitchen (there were some burgers, and some dahl and roti last week); but here we are at the first blog post from the new kitchen, and I'm a little bit excited.

Thanks to everyone who advised me on where I might buy some supplies. My big successes were the Indo grocery at Barkly Square, Minh Phat at the markets, and Richmond Asian Grocery on Victoria Street in Richmond (about 200ish), which had a huge freezer filled with vegan bao and other goodies, and the most giant yao chao guai ever (which I've not yet cooked, though it is in my fridge). Seriously, it was like 40, maybe 50 cm long.

Anyway. Five spice is such a great flavour, it instantly makes anything delicious and is just awesome. I find the best combination is to pair it with a little dark and a little light soy, it really complements the flavour.

5 spice tempeh and noodles



ingredients
1 pack yellow noodles (500g)
1 pack tempeh
1 tablespoon 5 spice
4 tablespoon dark soy
1 tablespoon light soy
1 tablespoon sesame oil
lots of peanut oil
1 carrot
half a capsicum
half a teaspoon chilli flakes
extra light soy
bean shoots (prepared)
choy sum or chinese cabbage
1 clove garlic (minced)
some ginger (sliced or minced)
quarter of a cup of dried mushrooms

prepare the tempeh:
Dissolve the five-spice into the dark soy and one tablespoon of light soy. Slice up the tempeh into fingers, about 10cm in length. In a container with a lid, marinate the tempeh in the five spice and soy. Make sure the lid is on tight, because after a while you will flip the container over (to ensure it's well marinated). Marinate for at least an hour in the fridge - I like to leave it for a couple of hours.

cooking it all:
In a wok, pour some peanut oil, at least three or four tablespoons. When it is hot and ready to go, start placing the tempeh into the oil, three or four fingers at a time. After a minute or so, flip, so both sides are cooked. Then after a minute on that side, move the tempeh to the side of the wok, still near the flame but out of the oil. Put in the next lot of tempeh. This bit can get a bit complicated, you have to keep an eye on the tempeh in the oil, and also flip the tempeh on the side of the wok. As you move the next lot up, you can put that tempeh from the sides onto a baking tray. Repeat process until all is finished. Bake tempeh at about 180C for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway.

Take the container in which you were marinating the tempeh. Add two or three tablespoons of hot stock, and half a teaspoon of dried chilli flakes, to the left over marinade.

Julienne the carrot and capsicum. Cut up the cabbage into finger sized strips. Soak the mushrooms in hot water.

Remove any excess oil from the wok, conserving about a teaspoon in the wok. Start up the heat again on high, and through in ginger and garlic. Stir-fry for a few minutes, then add carrot and capsicum. Toss and fry, then add a spoon or two of water and put on the lid. Leave to steam for a few minutes, tossing occasionally, until soft. Add the cabbage about midway.

Rinse the noodles. Toss the noodles, mushrooms and beanshoots into the wok, as well as the light soy, the sesame oil, and the left over five-spice marinade mixture. You can also add some of the mushroom liquid, if you like slightly damp noodles. Put lid on, and leave for a minute or two. Then toss four or five of the tempeh fingers into the wok, breaking them into smaller pieces as you toss.

Serve, garnished with two or three slices of tempeh.