This recipe has been created in collaboration with Lotus Foods, all opinions are my own.
Do you want a meal that will make you feel like you’re dining at a restaurant, but without too much effort? Then this is it! Crispy bites of coconut tempeh are paired with Lotus Foods’ precooked Organic White Jasmine & Forbidden Rice® Blend, roasted broccolini and bell pepper.
Over the last two weeks I’ve had the pleasure of working with Lotus Foods to create some amazing recipes with their new Heat & Eat Rice Pouches. Today, I’m bringing you one final recipe using their precooked Organic White Jasmine & Forbidden Rice® Blend. There are 3 different kinds of precooked rice available in the Heat & Eat Pouches: Organic Brown Jasmine Rice, Organic White Jasmine Rice, and Organic White Jasmine & Forbidden Rice® Blend, offering a quick and easy way to enjoy rice. The coconut rice for this recipe would’ve taken so much longer to make, had it not been for this product!
One thing you may know Lotus Foods for is their Forbidden Rice®. This rice is special for their company because it is truly where it all began. While on a trip to China, the co-founders tasted black rice and were enamored. Black rice was called “tribute rice” or “longevity rice” because it was only for Chinese Emperors to secure good health and a long life. The owners started importing black rice in 1995, calling it Forbidden Rice® after the Forbidden City, the Chinese Imperial palace. Lotus Foods has worked hard to maintain high quality products while helping our planet, the farmers they work with and their employees. They have won many awards for their products and their sustainability efforts. Visit their website to learn more about all the amazing work they are doing!
Now, let’s talk about this delicious meal! As I was eating it, I felt like I was at a restaurant. It’s flavorful, full of different textures, and honestly, I was just so happy eating this. The tempeh is cut into little triangles and coated with breadcrumbs and coconut flakes to make a crispy, crunchy breading. The broccolini and bell pepper are roasted in the oven for easy hands-off cooking. And the rice, where do I even start? The easiest coconut rice I’ve ever made! The precooked rice in the Heat & Eat Rice Pouch cooks up perfectly and absorbs the coconut milk wonderfully. If you don’t like tempeh, feel free to use tofu or even cauliflower. Also, if you can’t find broccolini just use broccoli instead. I like to use unsweetened shredded coconut for this so I can control the sweetness; if you use sweetened, please don’t add any extra sugar.
Coconut Crusted Tempeh with Coconut Rice
Ingredients
- 1 8-ounce [227g] package tempeh
- ¼ cup 17g panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ cup coconut milk light or full fat
- Spray oil
- 8 ounces 227g broccolini
- 1 bell pepper about 6 ounces [180g], thinly sliced
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- 1-2 garlic cloves roughly chopped
Coconut Rice
- 1 Lotus Foods Organic White Jasmine & Forbidden Rice® Blend Heat & Eat Pouch
- ¼ cup coconut milk light or full fat
- 1 bunch of green onions chopped
- 1 teaspoon organic sugar
- 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C).
- Cut the block of tempeh in half crosswise. Then cut each half into 4 squares, then cut the smaller squares on a diagonal to make triangles. In a blender or food processor combine the breadcrumbs, shredded coconut, and salt. Pulse twice just to break everything down a bit but not until finely smooth. Dip the tempeh in the coconut milk and then coat in breadcrumbs. Place on a lined baking sheet and repeat until all pieces are coated. Spray the tempeh with oil spray, coconut oil spray is preferable. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until tempeh is crispy and golden, flip pieces halfway through cooking.
- While that is baking add the broccolini and bell pepper to a separate lined baking sheet. Drizzle the oil over top both vegetables along with some salt and pepper. Toss it to coat. Then add the chopped garlic to the broccolini. Place in the oven and bake for 12 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
- Prepare the coconut rice by adding all the ingredients into a small sauté pan. Cover with a lid and let it cook over medium low heat for about 3 minutes or until the rice is warmed up, fluffy, and coconut milk has been absorbed. If there are any pieces that are stuck together just break them up with a spatula.
- Once the tempeh and vegetables are done, divide them amongst 2 plates along with the coconut rice. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of sweet chili sauce over each dish and enjoy.
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