Sunshine Tempeh Curry

Sunshine Tempeh Curry

This one has become a proper staple in our kitchens and we genuinely can't stop making it. There's something about the combination of golden, crispy tempeh soaked in that coconut and turmeric sauce that just hits every time. It's warming, creamy, a little bit spicy, and the kind of curry that smells so good while it's cooking that everyone comes wandering into the kitchen asking what's for dinner. We call it Sunshine Curry because honestly, it just makes you feel good. If you haven't cooked with tempeh much before, this is the recipe to start with, trust us on this one.

Cook: 45 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Food processor
  • Large pan with lid

Ingredients

  • 1 block of tempeh
  • 2 tbsp coconut milk
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • olive oil
  • 1 shallot
  • 2 green chillies
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 35g fresh ginger
  • 1 tbsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tbsp ground coriander
  • ½ tbsp ground cumin
  • 2 stalks of lemongrass
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 red peppers
  • 1 packet of tenderstem broccoli
  • 2 large carrots
  • 200ml vegetable stock
  • 1 tin of coconut milk
  • 4 dried makrut lime leaves
  • 1 lime
  • salt, pepper & sugar to taste
  • red chilli
  • lime wedges
  • coriander leaves

Method

1

For the tempeh

  • Use your hands to crumble the tempeh.
  • Place your KIT pan on a medium to high heat and add half a cup of water, bring to the boil, add the tempeh, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until all the water has evaporated.
  • Add a generous amount of olive oil, and cook the tempeh for 6-8 minutes, stirring a few times.
  • Meanwhile, whisk together the coconut milk, coriander, turmeric, garlic, cumin.
  • When the tempeh has browned, stir in the coconut milk mixture to coat the tempeh, and cook for a minute.
  • Set aside for later and wipe your K!T pan clean.
2

For the curry paste

  • Peel and roughly chop the shallot.
  • Peel the garlic and ginger.
  • For the lemongrass, slice off the very bottom of the stalk, peel off any dried out layers to expose the aromatic inside.
  • Whizz up all the paste ingredients together, you may need to add a splash of water to get a smooth paste.
  • Put to one side.
3

For the veggies

  • Thinly slice the peppers, then peel the carrots and cut into rounds.
4

For the curry

  • In your K!T pan, heat a couple of tablespoons of veg oil on medium to high heat.
  • Once hot, pour in the curry paste, stir and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes to release the delicious flavours.
  • Add the carrots, peppers, lime leaves, stock, coconut milk, give it a good stir and cook for about 20 minutes.
  • Add the broccoli for the last 2 minutes of cooking.
5

Taste and serve

  • Squeeze the lime juice into the curry, and add some sugar if your curry needs some sweetness, or some salt to make all the flavours pop.
  • Top with the cooked tempeh, sliced red chilli and chopped coriander.

Tips & Variations

  • Crumble the tempeh properly: We mean really get in there with your hands and break it up into irregular pieces. The uneven edges crisp up better and catch more of that sauce.
  • Toast your spices: If you have an extra minute, add the cumin and turmeric to the dry pan before anything else and let them toast for 30 seconds. It deepens the whole flavour of the curry in a way that's totally worth it.
  • Make it your own: Ian loves throwing in a big handful of spinach right at the end and letting it wilt into the sauce. Henry always squeezes a lime over his bowl before serving. Both are excellent calls.

Why This Works

The trick is that two-step cooking method for the tempeh. Simmering it in water first helps it absorb flavour and softens it up, then frying it in olive oil gets it properly golden and a little crispy on the outside. That texture contrast with the creamy coconut sauce is what makes the whole thing so satisfying. Don't skip that step, it's the difference between good and really good.