A mix of Indian and Indonesian flavors, this dish is perfect for Suriname, a country with Indian and Javanese diasporas.
👨🍳 Indian-esian Fusion
I created this dish in honor of Suriname, our home of nearly 2 years, where a mix of cultures have had a big influence on the country's cuisine. Thanks to the Javanese influence in Suriname, tempeh is a common ingredient available at most markets.
Palak paneer is well-known north Indian dish commonly seen on the menu of just about any Indian restaurant outside south Asia. Spinach isn't readily available in Suriname, but amaranth leavs are a much more common ingredient, and do a good job to take the place of spinach in most recipes, although a little more bitter.
So, with some creativity, I reimagined this classic Indian dish with Ital ingredients, and used tempeh instead of paneer, putting a little Indonesian influence in this dish, making it perfect for Suriname. Did I mention I had a little help plucking amaranth leaves?
🍅 Palak Tempeh Ingredients 🌿
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⋆ amaranth leaves (about 4 cups packed)
⋆ 4x medium-sized tomatoes
⋆ ginger - (about 2 tsp)
⋆ 1x block of tempeh (cut into long thin pieces)
⋆ cumin seeds - 1 tsp
⋆ hing - ⅛ tsp
⋆ coriander powder - 1 tsp
⋆ paprika - ½ tsp
⋆ turmeric powder - ½ tsp
⋆ sea salt - ½ to ¾ tsp
⋆ shredded coconut meat - ½ cup (leftover from coconut milk squeezing)
👨🍳 Preparation Method 🔥
STEP 1
Shallow-fry the tempeh slices until golden brown, cut into thirds, and reserve.
STEP 2
Grind the tomatoes and ginger, reserve. Grind the amaranth leaves and reserve. Arrange all the ingredients for quick and easy use, as this will help to prevent burning the spices when working quickly with high heat.
STEP 3
Heat a few tablespoons of cooking oil, then fry the cumin seeds and hing until the seeds begin to pop.
STEP 4
Quickly add the tomato-ginger paste before the cumin seeds turn black. The cumin seeds can burn easily, so it's important to act quickly.
STEP 5
Continue sauteing the tomato paste until the oil seperates from the sauce, then add the coriander powder, salt, turmeric powder, and paprika.
STEP 6
Cook the tomato paste until it is reduced by half, then add the amaranth puree. Bring back to a simmer and cook for another three minutes to reduce the bitterness a bit. |  |
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STEP 7
Add any extra water to create the desired consistencyand bring back to a simmer. Lastly, add the coconut meat and tempeh, bring back to a simmer, and serve.
My family loves to eat this dish with a lot of raw red onions or shallots, and it gives this meal a nice crunch and some snappy flavor.
This is one of the few green dishes that our girls (@KidSisters) absolutely love. Some don't appreciate the color and appearance of this dish, and I guess I can sympathize with that a little, but don't let looks fool you when it comes to a delicious meal.
Share your palak tempeh with loved ones to increase the upful vibes. Livity is a thing that money can't buy, so teach the youths how to eat right from an early age.
🙏 THANKS FOR READING 🙏
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