So I bought a package and decided to use it in a stir-fry in place of my old stand-by, tofu. I love tofu....silken, soft, firm, extra firm. I love it all. I bake it, fry it, steam it, turn it into eggless egg salad, pudding, salad dressing.
I did a little research on different cooking techniques for tempeh. I decided to sauté it in a bit of sunflower oil to make it crispy. That's what I did. I heated a very thin layer of oil in a non-stick pan and placed the thin pieces of tempeh in the oil. Once crisp, I turned the pieces over, and cooked until crisp on the other side.
Before adding to the stir-fry, I tasted a piece. I LOVED the texture. It was crispy and light. At first bite, the flavor was nutty and delicious. And then, all of a sudden, it wasn't. I can't really describe my reaction that followed the initial perception. But I just didn't like it.
Was I overreacting to trying a new food? I like to try new things (hence the tempeh) and I don't consider myself overly picky. Sometimes I'm off-put by the smell of a food before I try it. I smelled the tempeh as soon as I opened the package, and it seemed very mild. And it smelled quite good while cooking it. So what turned my initial reaction south so quickly?
Was it just me?
My husband will pretty much eat anything I serve him. He loves vegetarian/vegan alternatives and is pretty easy-going when it comes to food choices, both at home and in restaurants. I had him try a piece of the tempeh before adding it to the stir-fry. His reaction was pretty much identical to mine. And his response was his usual, easy-going, "it's ok."
I thought maybe it would be better once coated in a delicious orange sesame sauce. Not really. I ended up eating just broccoli and red sprouted jasmine rice. So my meal was lacking in protein. My husband took a few bites and opted for making a sandwich.
The completed dish looks yummy. And I suppose, if you like tempeh, would be pretty tasty and satisfying.
Did I do something wrong? Or is tempeh just an acquired taste?
