Work top to bottom — prep ahead while timers run
Gather everything first, then follow the steps
Protein· 3
- 60 g firm tofu (cubed)60g
- 40 g tempeh (cubed)40g
- 1 egg (boiled)55g
Carbs· 1
- 120 g compressed rice cake (cubed)120g
Vegetables· 5
- 50 g cabbage (shredded)50g
- 40 g carrot (julienned)40g
- 40 g long beans (cut)40g
- 1 lemongrass stalk (bruised)5g
- 6 g garlic (minced)6g
Sauces· 1
- 40 g lite coconut milk40g
Spices· 2
- 2 g turmeric powder(staple)2g
- pinch of salt(staple)2g
- 9 min · hands-free
Boil the egg from cold water for 9 min, cool, peel and halve; cube the tofu and tempeh.
Why? A boiled egg adds a complete protein without a drop of oil; together with tofu and tempeh, this one bowl carries enough plant-plus-egg protein to hold you to the next meal.09:00Next up:In a dry non-stick pan over medium heat, brown the tofu and tempeh cubes on all sides, ~4 min, then set aside.
In a dry non-stick pan over medium heat, brown the tofu and tempeh cubes on all sides, ~4 min, then set aside.
Why? Dry-searing drives moisture out of the tofu and deepens the tempeh's flavour; the crust holds up in the broth without falling apart, and uses no oil at all — the traditional version deep-fries this step.Tip: Don't flip too soon — wait until each side browns and releases on its own, so it won't stick and tear.
Next up:In the same pan, briefly fry the garlic, lemongrass and turmeric, pour in ~250 ml water and bring to a boil, then add the cabbage, carrot and long beans; cook 4 min.
In the same pan, briefly fry the garlic, lemongrass and turmeric, pour in ~250 ml water and bring to a boil, then add the cabbage, carrot and long beans; cook 4 min.
Why? Building the broth with aromatics and water first keeps the vegetables' sweetness in the soup; the generous veg brings fibre and fullness, taking up most of the bowl.Next up:Lower the heat, stir in the lite coconut milk and a pinch of salt, return the tofu and tempeh and simmer 2 min (don't let it boil hard), then add the rice-cake cubes to warm through.
Lower the heat, stir in the lite coconut milk and a pinch of salt, return the tofu and tempeh and simmer 2 min (don't let it boil hard), then add the rice-cake cubes to warm through.
Why? Adding just 40 g of lite santan at the end over low heat gives coconut aroma without the greasiness of thick santan; boiling coconut milk hard splits the oil out and turns it heavy.Watch out: Drop to a gentle simmer the moment the coconut milk warms — over-boiling curdles out the oil and ruins the silky texture.