Sourdough Tempeh Pancake

Step 1: Sear the tempeh for color

Ingredients:

• 8 oz tempeh, cut in 1/2” cubes

• Sesame oil & Canola oil, mixed

Procedure

Add enough oil to coat the pan about 1/8”. Fry tempeh on all sides at a medium high heat. It should sizzle in the pan. You are just getting good color for now; the tempeh will finish cooking in the pancake, so about 2 minutes should be enough. Reserve tempeh to the side.

Step 2: Pancake batter

Ingredients:

• 1/2 C Flour

• 2 Eggs

• 1/3 C Sourdough starter (this can be omitted)

• 1/4 C Soy Sauce

• 1/4 C Kimchi Juice or (any ferment brine)

• 2 Tbsp Sesame oil

• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced

• 2 Tbsp ginger, finely grated

• 1 Bunch Scallion, 1 inch sticks (white & green)

• 1/2 C Kimchi, rough chopped (or other fermented veg)

• Oil for frying

Procedure:

Combine your flour, eggs, and sourdough starter and mix well. Add in your liquids to form a paste. Add in the rest of the ingredients and at the end, add your seared tempeh.Add a layer of oil to the pan and make sure there no dry spots. You want to get the pan very hot almost to smoking, add a cup or so of batter and smooth out to about 1/4-1/2” in thickness. Allow the bottom side to fry at medium-high until the edges start crisp up. If you need to use a spatula to loosen the edges and start gently sliding the pan in a front to back motion to see if the bottom will give. It should unstick itself once there has been an even sear. You want the bottom very crisp so that it is easy to flip back into the pan. About 5 minutes in total time to sear both sides. 

Step 3: Crushed cucumber salad

Ingredients:

• 2 Medium cucumbers, peeled, cubed

• Salt 

• 1/4 C Parsley, chopped

• 1/4 C Cilantro, chopped

• 1 Tbsp Gochugaru Chile flakes, or crushed red pepper

• 2 tsp Sugar

• 2 Tbsp lime or lemon juice

• 1 Onion, cut in thin moon slices and pan fried (optional)

Procedure:

Prep your cucumbers as directed, add your cucumbers to a bowl with an even sprinkle of salt. Let the cucumbers weep for about 30 minutes. Rinse in a colander and put your cucumbers on a cutting board. Take small bowl or plate and smash each piece of cucumber to bruise it, then add back into a bowl. Mix in your other ingredients. This will be your garnish on the pancake. 

Step 4: Aioli sauce

Combine:

• 1/2 C Mayo or homemade mayo/aioli

• 1/4 C Tomato chutney (sub-out with 1 tbsp paprika and 1 tsp cayenne lightly toasted for spicy oil)

• Dash of hot sauce

• Dash of lemon juice

• Salt and pepper

Adjust to taste, then compile your pancake with salad and sauce.