Barbecue tempeh

This barbecue recipe uses gochujang, an intense Korean spice paste, as its base. Gochujang is widely available at major online retailers and at many grocery stores, but if you don’t have any on hand, you can substitute a spicy barbecue sauce; just omit the brown sugar. Tempeh, an easy-to-use, dense cake of cultured soybeans, makes for a savory and healthy meat substitute here.

Ingredients:

1 8-ounce block of tempeh

For the marinade:
2 teaspoons gochujang
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons Tamari or soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
1 scallion, washed and chopped
Pinch of fresh ground black pepper

Instructions:

Put all the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Combine together with a whisk or fork until the honey and brown sugar are dissolved.
Unwrap the tempeh and chop it into large, bite-sized chunks, strips, steaks or cubes, according to your preference.
Place the tempeh pieces in a steamer basket over a pan filled with a few inches of water. Bring the water to a boil, cover and steam the tempeh for 10 minutes.
Drop the tempeh pieces into the marinade. Allow to marinate for at least two hours or up to a day, turning at least once.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Arrange tempeh pieces in a single layer on an oiled or parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake tempeh for 10 minutes.
Use tongs or a spatula to flip tempeh, baste it with any remaining sauce and bake for another 10 minutes.
Serve on a toasted sesame seed bun alongside cole slaw, baked beans and your favorite barbecue accompaniments.