Popcorn Tempeh Nuggets
In 2019 I took part in Veganuary. Although it was only 3 years ago veganism was not as prominent within society as it is now. Due to this, I had to be creative. Although Greg's had just introduced their vegan sausage roll, I had more fun trying foods that were already, accidentally, vegan such as bean curd maki (don't hate on it until you've tried it!), of course Oreos (I talk about my love for them in Eat Teen by Lottie: Cookies & Cream Cupcakes ) and some of the vegan protein alternatives. A common myth about veganism is the lifestyle (I'm purposely not calling it a diet because it isn't!) lacks protein. Therefore, when I was vegan I wanted to ensure I had suitable protein sources. The most common is tofu as it is cheap and relatively easy to prepare however I have never been a massive fan of the texture. I wanted to created my own vegan dish using tempeh: a vegan protein derived from soybeans. As I like most beans (unlike my dad who loathes them!) I thought I would like the texture and flavour of tempeh and I definitely wasn't wrong! Their soft, almost chewy texture made them the perfect protein source for my recipe. Although vegan nuggets are now a relatively common vegan menu item- featuring in Mac-Donalds, KFC and Burger King, at the time they were not as easily found therefore, as I didn't want to miss out on one of my favourite comfort foods, I thought I would recreate them. I thought I would try using popcorn to get a crunchier texture compared to breadcrumbs. The recipe was a success and I hope you love it as much as I do!
Here is my recipe for Popcorn Tempeh Nuggets:
Ingredients: (Serves 2-4)
- 200g Fresh Tempeh, cut into slices (The TofooCo tempeh I buy is round however a cubed block, sliced, will also work perfectly)
- 100ml Non-Dairy Milk (for this recipe I use Soya)
- 1/4tsp Paprika
- 1/4tsp Garlic Powder
- 40g Popcorn
- 50g Melba Toast
- Grated Vegan Cheese (optional)
Method:
- Preheat the oven (or air fryer) to 175'c, gas mark 4
- In an average blender, blend the spices, popcorn and melba toast until a crumb forms
- Cut the tempeh in 1/2cm thick slices
- Pour the milk onto a rounded edged plate and the popcorn crumb onto another round edged plate
- Place a slice of your tempeh into the milk, then the crumb, then the milk again, then the crumb again - repeat with all your slices!
- Cook for 15-20 minutes, flipped over halfway, or until golden and crispy
- Serve hot with whatever you fancy- I love a big colourful salad!
- Enjoy!!
