Plant-based· VG · GF · DF

Saag Tempeh

Name: Saag Tempeh
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 300ml coconut milk; 300g frozen leaf spinach; 135g (⅔ pack) tempeh, 1cm cubes; 150g onion, diced; 150g (⅓ tin) chopped tomatoes; 120g frozen peas; 120g potato, 1cm dice; 12g garlic; 12g ginger; 10g fresh coriander; 6g garam masala; 2g paprika; 2g turmeric; ½ tsp sugar; 10ml rapeseed oil

Creamy coconut spinach curry with tempeh, peas and potato.

makes 17 blocks, about 21p each

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BatchJoy

batchjoy.com/recipes/saag-tempeh/

Time: 45 min10 min prep · 35 min cook
Makes: 17 blocks
Cost per blockPer block: 21p
Calories per blockCalories: 72 kcal
Spice: 1 of 5

You’ll need

Batch size

blocks

300mlcoconut milk
300gfrozen leaf spinach
135g (⅔ pack)tempeh, 1cm cubes
150gonion, diced
150g (⅓ tin)chopped tomatoes
120gfrozen peas
120gpotato, 1cm dice
12ggarlic
12gginger
10gfresh coriander
6ggaram masala
2gpaprika
2gturmeric
½ tspsugar
10mlrapeseed oil

Allergens: Soya. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.

Serve it

Rice and naan · With roast potatoes as a saag aloo-style side · Wrapped in a chapati

Method

Step 1: Boil the potato in salted water for 6 minutes until just tender, then drain. Heat half the oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat and fry the tempeh for 6 minutes until golden; lift out.
Step 2: Lower the heat to medium, add the rest of the oil and soften the onion for 8 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and spices for 1 minute.
Step 3: Add the tomatoes for 3 minutes, then the spinach and coconut milk. Simmer for 8 minutes, then blitz roughly with a stick blender for a saag texture.
Step 4: Fold in the potato, peas, tempeh and sugar and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the coriander, then taste and season.
Step 5: Cool, portion into 70g blocks and freeze.

Hotter: add 2 green chillies with the garlic.

Nutrition (estimated)
	kcal	protein	carbs	fat	fibre	salt
Per block	72	3.2g	4.4g	4.4g	1.8g	0g
Per 3 blocks	216	9.6g	13.2g	13.2g	5.4g	0g

Cook’s notes

Firm tofu (Tesco 280g ~£1.50) is a cheaper swap for tempeh.
Freeze the leftover tempeh for the Satay or the Massaman.

Serve it

Rice and naan · With roast potatoes as a saag aloo-style side · Wrapped in a chapati.

Freeze, reheat and serve

Freeze: Cool it within two hours, portion it into 70g blocks in a silicone tray, then bag and label them. It keeps for 3 months.
Reheat: Microwave 3 blocks, covered, for 1 minute, stir, then heat for another 1 to 2 minutes until piping hot all the way through. Or warm them in a pan with a splash of water. Never refreeze thawed blocks.
A portion: 3 blocks (210g) make a dinner for one adult: about 216 kcal and 9.6g protein before rice, bread or potatoes.

Saag Tempeh questions

Can I use fresh spinach instead of frozen?

Yes, though you need a good deal more by weight, as fresh leaves shrink right down. Wilt it into the pan by the handful before adding the coconut milk, then blitz as normal.

Why boil the potato separately?

Raw potato cooks slowly in a thick coconut sauce and can catch on the bottom of the pan. Par-boiling it first means it only needs a few minutes in the curry and keeps its shape.

Do I have to blend it?

No. Blitzing gives the smooth saag texture, but you can skip it for a looser, leafier curry. Roughly chop the spinach once it has thawed in the pan so it portions evenly.