Frying tempeh

[blacknwhite5783]

Hi,

 

Can I fry tempeh in olive oil? My other option is palm oil.

 

Does tempeh make for a good mock meat sandwich? I'm thinking of replacing the burger patty with a tempeh patty. Any other good stuff to add?

 

Thanks.

[pazios2002]

yeah I do it in olive oil. Whether it is better then palm oil i dont know. No oil would be best. I tried using it as a mock meat but didnt think that it tasted real good.

[beforewisdom]

Olive oil is much healthier than palm oil.

 

You can also microwave tempeh.

 

Tempeh easily tastes too dry. The key to making tempeh tasty is to combine it with moist things and slice it thin.

 

You can make a decent sandwich by microwaving THINLY sliced tempeh. Further kill the dryness by spreading a thin coat of hummus or vegan mayo on each slice of the bread. Put a tomato slice in the sandwich along with sprouts to further kill the dryness.

[vegimator]

I would choose palm oil (especially if it's virgin) since it has fewer omega 6 acids in it which are unstable at high temperatures. Saturated/monounsaturated fats are best for frying. Olive oil is a good source of monounsaturated fat though and a better choice for frying than canola oil for example.

[lobsteriffic]

I don't fry very much so I don't know much about it. I've heard that olive oil has a low smoking point so you shouldn't use it for frying, and canola oil is better. Is there any truth to that? Or is that only if you have super high temps such as in deep frying? Once in a blue moon I fry some stuff and I'm curious re: what I should use.

[vegimator]

Canola oil is high in omega 3s and they get oxidized at high temperatures (meaning they become rancid and generate free radicals). They both have high smoke points though - http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/CollectedInfo/OilSmokePoints.htm

 

 

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=84#impactcookingstorageprocessing

[lobsteriffic]

thanks!

 

My mother-in-law was going on about how you shouldn't fry with olive oil because it will break down and kill you and blah blah blah. I never bothered to look it up.

[LisaB]

Coconut oil is the healtiest to fry with because it has the highest smoke point and can withstand the temps. It is also a healthier oil than canola.

[pkjane]

Walnut oil can withstand high temperatures too.

[xVeganDestroyerx]

olive oil is fine to cook with, just don't use super high heat to the point where it's smoking. coconut oil is the healthiest but that's not to say that olive oil is by any means unhealthy, it's all about how well you cook with it. also here is an interesting article i just found on canola oil. it doesn't list all sources but i thought it might be an interesting topic of discussion. i always use cold pressed extra virgin olive oil.

 

http://community-2.webtv.net/essentialhealth/NONESSENTIALS/#CANOLA%20OIL

[Northstar]

This is my favorite way to eat tempeh (probably not the healthiest thing ever but so so good):

 

-Slice tempeh into strips

-fill frying pan with about 3/4" of oil

-fry tempeh on medium high until golden brown

-remove and toss in bowl with buffalo sauce

-bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 350

[Adena]

I think marinated tempeh would be great for sandwiches, personally. Marinate it for at least an hour before frying/baking/whatever, and it shouldn't be too dry. I guess that might be oilier than you'd like, though. But you can always adjust the oil. I do something like this:

 

1 tbsp olive or your choice of oil

1 tbsp soy sauce

a spoonful of minced garlic

1 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 or less tbsp hickory smoke flavor

 

Marinate strips of tempeh for at least an hour, turning once. Then fry in a cast iron pan or bake in the oven. I usually just guess the temperature and check it every so often.

 

This is more or less the recipe for a marinade for tempeh bacon found in Vegan With a Vengeance and Vegan Brunch, just modified a little because I find the tablespoon of maple syrup completely unnecessary.