I improvised a meal last night and it turned out pretty well, so I decided to share it here with all of you. Try it out and let me know what you think! Of course, you should try improvising too – if you find yourself without the exact ingredients! Note: Measurements and instructions are approximations. :)
This dish turned out to have a wonderful sweet and savory balance – between the apples and blueberries, and the smokey maple bacon tempeh and curry. I’ve never tossed blueberries into a stirfry before, but I’ll definitely try it again!
Improv Score: 5/5
Tempeh Bacon and Apple Curry Stirfry
1 pkg Tempeh Bacon (I used Maple Bacon Tempeh from Turtle Island)
1 clove garlic (minced)
1/2 onion (chopped) (sweet or white would be best)
1/2 red bell pepper (chopped)
8 grape tomatoes (halved)
1 apple (chopped) (try Braeburn or Fuji, or anything else that won’t turn mushy)
1/2 cup blueberries
For the sauce:
curry powder (I used a yellow curry on the sweeter side)
apple & onion jam (or most any other not-too-sweet jam or chutney)
1/8 tsp aniseed
1/4 tsp caraway seeds
sesame seeds
apple cider vinegar
olive oil
water
- In a skillet, prepare the tempeh as instructed by the packaging. Set aside.
- In the pan that you cooked the tempeh in, heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium to medium high heat.
- Add the garlic to the oil, stirring frequently for about 30 seconds, or until the scent is released
- Add the onion and red pepper and saute until onion is nearly transparent, adding splashes of apple cider vinegar along the way as the pan dries out.
- Add a bit more oil to the pan, then stir in the apples and tomatoes. If it seems dry you can add more oil or apple cider vinegar. Saute.
- In a small bowl, mix about a half cup of water with an amount of curry that you feel comfortable with. (How much kick do you want?!)
- When apples start to brown, stir half of the curry mix into the pan along with the blueberries, aniseed, and caraway. Saute 2-3 minutes, or until curry is mostly absorbed.
- Next, add 2 tablespoons of your jam or chutney and half of the remaining curry mix. Stir and allow to mostly absorb. Repeat with 1-2 more tablespoons of jam and the remaining curry mix.
- Once curry is mostly absorbed, but still moist, divide the curry onto plates or bowls and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Enjoy!