Experts Ask the
The team from Veganuary answer your questions about veganism
Each month, send us your questions and we'll pitch them to those in the know. Whether you're unsure about the best way to cook tofu, or you need some vegan dating advice, we've got your back.
What's the tastiest way to cook tempeh? Every time I cook it, it turns rubbery!
It's hard to believe that fermented soyabeans can make such a versatile meat replacement. Known for its distinct nutty flavour, high-protein content and ability to take on flavour, tempeh is a vegan superfood. However, it also happens to be the Marmite of the vegan world — you either can't get enough or have one bad experience and avoid it for life.
Cooking with tempeh is something of an art form and it takes practice and persistence. The result mostly depends on the brand and how you cook it. If it's overdone, tempeh can become tough, or even crumble to pieces. But don't give up just yet! Here are some tips to make delicious dishes with tempeh.
The best way to avoid being left with a flavourless lump is to precook your tempeh. Slice it as desired, leave it to simmer gently in a pan of water and cover for 10-15 minutes. This softens the tempeh and makes it more tender, ready for cooking. Place it to one side and allow it to dry before adding marinade. When cutting tempeh, make sure the slices aren't too thick, as this can result in a dense and rubbery mess. Cooking with thinner, softer pieces also allows the marinade to soak through the ‘pores' of the tempeh, and you should end up with a meal that's not just edible, but also enjoyable.
What are your top tips for figuring out whether something is ‘accidentally vegan' or not?
Food can feel like a minefield when you're a new vegan. It's a strange feeling when you realise you don't know what's in your food, and your local supermarket seems like foreign territory. Although food labelling has improved in recent years, not all vegan products are labelled as such, and finding ‘accidentally vegan' foods is definitely a skill worth learning. Fear not — you don't have to learn a whole new language. You just have to know what you're looking for.
Step One: Scan for allergens and obvious ingredients. In the UK, allergens must be clearly stated, so if a product contains dairy, eggs or seafood, it will be immediately clear. Ingredients like honey, royal jelly and gelatine are animal-derived but won't be in bold. ‘May contain' warnings simply mean there's a risk of crosscontamination, so if you don't have allergies, the product will be vegan.
Step Two: Check if it's labelled vegetarian. Many accidentally vegan foods are labelled vegetarian, and more often than not, a quick scan of the ingredients will tell you it's also suitable for vegans.
Step Three: Identify other culprits. You'll find the same ingredients in many everyday products, so you don't need to memorise heaps of information. These are the most common animal-derived ingredients: lanolin (E913), tallow, shellac (E904), vitamin D3 (usually animal-derived), carmine (E120), bone char, l-cysteine, mono- and di-glycerides, aspic and pepsin. If in doubt, asking in a vegan group or a quick Google search will tell you if it's accidentally vegan or not.
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Email Gemma.Tadman@primeimpact.co.uk with your questions about veganism and looking after the planet.