Tempeh at its best

A staple of vegetarian menus, tempeh can be cooked in many ways. You will never see it the same way again with this twist on a Mexican classic. Spicy and tangy, this tostadas recipe is a fiesta of flavours and textures, combining the crispness of fried tempeh with the creaminess of avocados from Mexico. For a 100 per cent vegan version, simply change the sour cream for a vegetable cream.

Tostadas with marinated tempeh, avocado cream and roasted tomato salsa

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4 – 6

Ingredients

Roasted tomato salsa

• 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
• 4 tomatoes, quartered
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) corn kernels, fresh or frozen
• Cilantro leaves, chopped
• Zest and juice of 1 lime
• Salt to taste

Marinated tempeh

• 1 package (250 g) tempeh, crumbled
• ½ tsp (2 ml) cayenne
• 2 tsp (10 ml) ground coriander
• 2 tsp (10 ml) paprika
• 2 tsp (10 ml) ground cumin
• 1 tsp (5 ml) smoked paprika
• Zest and juice of 1 lime
• ½ cup (125 ml) vegetable oil

Avocado cream

• 3 avocados from Mexico, peeled and pitted
• Zest and juice of 1 lime
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) sour cream
• Cilantro leaves, to taste
• Salt and pepper

Tostadas

• Small tortillas
• Vegetable oil

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Place onion, tomatoes and jalapeño on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside.
2. Using a food processor or blender, roughly purée the roasted vegetables with the juice from the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer into a bowl and add corn, cilantro and zest and juice of one lime.
3. For the tempeh, mix all the ingredients in a bowl and let it rest for 20-25 minutes. In a large pan, heat a drizzle of vegetable oil and cook the seasoned tempeh until golden brown.
4. For the avocado cream, purée all the ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth and season with salt and pepper.
5. In a pan, heat a drizzle of oil and fry the tortillas. Transfer to a tray lined with paper towel to remove excess oil.
6. Spread the avocado cream on the tortillas and top with tempeh and salsa.