Tempeh Spinach Yummy Rice Bowl

Ever since I ate my first Naam Dragon Bowl, I've been in love with rice bowls.

In the last couple of years, I've learned to expect great things from Dharma Kitchen (a Buddhist-vegan restaurant near Broadway & Alma). In fact, one of the Kitchen's rice bowls (the Green Goddess, I think) is so memorable, I've tried making it for myself several times. It's been a long time since I've eaten the original, so I'm not sure how closely my version now resembles it. Nevertheless, my version makes me very happy.

Since this tempeh rice bowl is my only "made-up" recipe, and since I just made it tonight, I've decided to blog about it and record for posterity just how I do it.

Marinate the tempeh
I put the following in my marinade:

• 2 inches grated ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 6 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 package of frozen tempeh (the one I buy is 227 grams)

Whisk together the first 6 ingredients. Cut the tempeh into bite-sized pieces. Mix the whole lot together and marinate for 30 minutes (stirring every once in a while).

Make brown rice or quinoa
I have always made this recipe with short-grain brown rice (cuz I love it), but I think quinoa would also be delicious.

• 1 cup of either brown rice or quinoa
  
• 2 cups of water

Steam a green veggie
I always make this recipe with spinach, but I think broccoli could also be lovely.

Bake the tempeh
After the tempeh has marinated, I place the pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake them at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Turn the pieces over at half time.

Make a tahini sauce
The sauce consists of:

• 1/2 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves
• 6 tbsp tahini
  
• 2 tbsp peanut oil
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/4 cup water
• juice from half a lemon
  

I mix these ingredients together in my food processor until it's all smooth. It's quite a thick sauce.

Assemble the bowl

The remaing ingredients required are:

• 1 carrot, peeled and grated
• 2-3 pinches of sprouts
• 2 tbsp pickled ginger

Once all the ingredients have been prepared, assemble the bowl! Rice at the bottom; spinach and tempeh next; several heaping dollops of the tahini sauce; sprouts, shredded carrots, and pickled ginger for a generous garnish/topping!

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!