Tempeh bulgogi
Thin slices of tempeh soaked in a sweet, garlicky soy and apple marinade, then seared until caramelized at the edges and piled over rice, Korean barbecue flavor on a weeknight.
- 45 min total
- 25 min hands-on
- Follow-a-recipe easy
- Serves 2
- About $2.92 a serving
- 740 calories
- Good the next day
- Vegan
- Dairy-free
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 2 servings.
- 1 package tempeh
- ½ apple, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- ½ yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 stalks green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)
From your pantry
- 2 cups water, divided
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1½ tbsp brown sugar
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Each serving has about 740 calories, 33 g protein, 107 g carbs and 22 g fat, and costs about $2.92 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No long-grain white rice? Jasmine rice or basmati rice works.
- No yellow onions? White onions or red onions work.
- No green onions? Chives work.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
Cut the tempeh into , about ¼ inch thick.
Thinly slice. Thinly slicing means cutting slices about an eighth of an inch thick, roughly two coins stacked. Thin slices cook in seconds and soften fast, which quick dishes need.
How you’ll know: A slice bends a little when you hold it by one edge, and slow, steady cuts beat fast ones.
Put the slices in a large nonstick with ½ cup water, cover, and over medium heat about 5 minutes, until the water is gone.
Skillet. A skillet is a frying pan: wide and flat with low, sloped sides. The shape lets steam escape, so food browns instead of stewing.
How you’ll know: It’s the pan you’d fry an egg in, and a 10 or 12 inch one handles most recipes.
Simmer. Simmering means keeping a liquid just below a boil, with small bubbles rising gently. It cooks food evenly and lets a sauce thicken without scorching on the bottom.
How you’ll know: Small, lazy bubbles break the surface every second or so, and nothing is churning.
Medium heatTimer: 5 min
Dolly’s tip: A quick steam softens tempeh’s bitter edge and opens it up to soak in the marinade.the soy sauce, brown sugar, grated apple, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and pepper in a bowl. Add the warm tempeh, turn to coat, and let it sit 10 minutes.
Whisk. Whisking means beating quickly with a whisk or a fork to blend things together. It smooths out lumps and mixes eggs, oil or sauces evenly.
How you’ll know: It all looks one even color and texture, with no streaks or lumps.
Timer: 10 min
Meanwhile, the rice and bring it in a small with 1½ cups water and the salt over high heat.
Rinse. Rinsing means running cold water over rice or canned beans in a strainer while you swish them around. It washes off loose starch and can liquid, so rice cooks up fluffy and beans taste clean.
How you’ll know: The water running out goes from cloudy to mostly clear; it doesn’t have to be perfect.
Bring to a boil. It means heating a liquid on high until it’s fully boiling before you move on. A lid on the pot gets it there faster, which makes it a good moment to chop something.
How you’ll know: Big bubbles break all over the surface, and they keep coming when you lift the lid.
Saucepan. A saucepan is a pot with tall, straight sides and one long handle. It’s for things that need depth, like rice, sauces or a few boiled eggs.
How you’ll know: The food fills it about halfway, leaving room to bubble without spilling over.
High heat
Stir once, cover, and cook on low for 15 minutes. Take it off the heat and leave the lid on.
Low heatTimer: 15 min
Wipe out the skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat, and cook the onion about 2 minutes, until it starts to soften.
Medium-high heatTimer: 2 min
Lift the tempeh out of the marinade and lay it in the pan. Cook 2 to 3 minutes a side, until at the edges.
Caramelize. Caramelizing means cooking slowly until the natural sugars turn deep golden brown. It turns sharp onions soft, jammy and sweet, and it often takes 30 minutes or more.
How you’ll know: They’re soft, sticky and amber brown, and they taste sweet rather than sharp.
Medium-high heatTimer: 5 min
Dolly’s tip: The sugar in the marinade browns quickly. Dark edges are good, but turn the heat down if it smells burnt.Pour in the left in the bowl, add the green onions, and about 30 seconds, until sticky.
Marinate. Marinating means letting food sit in a flavorful liquid, called a marinade, before you cook it. Always marinate in the fridge, and never reuse marinade from raw meat unless you boil it first.
How you’ll know: The food is coated all over, sealed in a bag or covered dish, and chilling in the fridge.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Medium-high heat
Pile the tempeh over the rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
