On a recent trip to Maui I had the pleasure of attending a kim chi making class with New York chef Deuki Hong. The pineapple kim chi in this recipe is a vegan variation of a quick kim chi that is not a true ferment as it only sits for a few hours in the chili paste but I guarantee, it will find its way onto just about everything that you eat! It perks up a plate of nachos or a stir fry and lasts up to a week sealed in the fridge. You can find the korean chili flakes (gochugaru) in most Asian grocery stores or on the internet.
Ingredients:
makes about 8 tacos
- 1 pkg. of organic non-GMO corn tortillas
- 1 pkg. of tempeh, thawed
- 3 tbsp. wheat free tamari
- 2 cups very thinly sliced red cabbage tossed with 3/4 cup of chopped cilantro
- 1 large head of butter lettuce (leaves removed)
- 2 ripe but firm avocados (chopped into bite sized pieces)
- 1 recipe of pineapple kim chi (recipe follows)
- 1 recipe of cilantro lime cashew cream (recipe follows)
Pineapple Kim Chi
Prepare the kim chi first. While it marinates you can prepare the cilantro cream and the rest of the ingredients.
- 1/2 an asian pear, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 cup of gochugaru (korean chili flakes)
- 1/4 cup tamari
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 Tbsp. coconut sugar
- 1 Tbsp. fresh grated ginger
- 1 large pineapple, peeled, cored and chopped into bite sized pieces
Combine everything but the pineapple in a high speed blender until smooth.
Combine the paste with the chopped pineapple in a large bowl. Toss well to coat.
Spoon into a mason jar and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Cilantro Lime Cashew Cream
- 1/2 cup of raw cashews soaked in water at room temperature for a few hours
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup of fresh cilantro
- 1 Tbsp. of fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp. himalayan pink salt
Drain the cashews and rinse with fresh water. Combine cashews, water, cilantro, lime and salt in a blender until silky smooth. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Once refrigerated the cream will set up a little so feel free to add a little bit of water to make it more of a pourable consistency if necessary.
The Tempeh:
Cut tempeh into small bite sized rectangles, about 2 cm x 1 cm. Heat 3 Tbsp. of oil in a medium sized fry pan. Add the tempeh. Stir to coat with the oil and then drizzle the 3 Tbsp. of tamari over top. Continue to saute until the tempeh is browned on both sides. Turn off the burner and allowing the tempeh to stay warm for the final assembly.
Final Assemby:
Heat a little oil in a large fry pan. Lightly saute the corn tortillas on both sides to soften. Lay the tortillas out on your work surface. Lay a large butter lettuce leaf out on each tortilla. Top with tempeh, chopped avocados, pineapple kim chi, shredded red cabbage and cilantro, and a drizzle of cilantro lime cashew cream!
