Vegan Chinese Cashew Chicken
I love authentic Chinese food, but like a lot of people I’m also a big fan of a good Chinese takeout treat every now and then. There’s just something about those saucy stir-fries and salty-sweet flavours that really hits the spot.
One thing that always fascinates me is how different Chinese takeaway food can be depending on where you are. British Chinese cuisine and American Chinese food seem pretty different, and I’m especially curious about all the dishes you see in the US that we don’t really get in the UK. Things like chicken and cashew nut are huge over there! Until I eventually plan a trip to America, I’m happy recreating my own versions at home. If the real thing tastes anything like the versions I make in my kitchen, I know I’m going to love it.
This recipe is my plant-based spin on the classic chicken and cashew nut takeout dish. It’s a super satisfying vegan cashew chicken made with tempeh instead of meat.
If you’re looking for easy tempeh recipes or new ways to cook with tempeh, this one is a great place to start.
The tempeh soaks up all that sticky, sweet, savory sauce and works perfectly in this vegan Chinese stir-fry. Tossed with crunchy cashews and plenty of flavor, it’s proper comfort vegan Chinese food. Serve it with fluffy rice and some quick stir-fried veggies and you’ve basically got your own homemade Chinese takeout situation going on with no Saturday night delivery required.
Notes on the ingredients-
- Tempeh- Tempeh is an incredibly versatile protein that is also very nutritious. It is made of fermented soy beans and has a slightly nutty flavour. You should be able to find tempeh in your local supermarket or an Asian supermarket. I recommend using it in place of tofu in your favourite recipes. This recipe however can be made with tofu or a vegan meat substitute. I find the best quality tempeh in health food stores or Chinese supermarket.
- Cashew nuts- The soft texture of cashew nuts makes them work really well in this dish to give it another level of texture. Make sure you but unsalted raw cashews for this dish.
- Shaoxing rice wine- This can be found in some world food sections of generic supermarkets, in Chinese supermarkets or online. You can substitute with rice wine vinegar that is widely available.
Chinese Style Tempeh with Cashews
Ingredients
- 200 g Tempeh block
- 2 tbsp Cornflour
- 2 tbsp Water
- 1/2 Red bell pepper
- 1/2 Onion
- 30 g Cashew nuts
- Sesame seeds & spring onion to garnish
For The Sauce
- 1 tbsp Dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
- 1 tbsp Hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp Garlic ginger paste
- 1/2 tsp White pepper
- 1 tbsp Sesame oil
Instructions
- Chop the tempeh into even sized cubes, place into a Tupperware with a lid and sprinkle on 1 Tbsp of the cornflour. Firmly pop the lid back on and shake until all of the tempeh is coated.
- Fry the tempeh in oil until golden on all sides and set aside for later.
- Chop up the onion and bell pepper into similar size cubes and fry both until soft.
- Add back in the tempeh and the cashews and heat through. Turn off the heat whilst making the sauce.
- Now to make the sauce mix. Firstly make a cornflour slurry by mixing 1 Tbsp cornflour with 2 Tbsp of water until combined. Next add the dark soy sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, hoisin sauce, garlic ginger, white pepper and sesame oil to the cornflour slurry and mix until combined.
- Turn the heat back on and pour the sauce into the tempeh, pepper, onion and cashew mix and cook until the sauce turns sticky.
- Serve with some rice and top with sesame seeds & chopped spring onion.
- Enjoy!
Notes
If you liked this recipe be sure to check out some of my other Chinese inspired recipes
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