GOCHUJANG-BRAISED TEMPEH LETTUCE WRAPS

The Instant Pot makes fast work of braising tempeh, turning it softer and letting it soak up this sweet-spicy sauce. The nuggets of fermented soybeans pair here with crisp quickpickled vegetables, eaten in lettuce wraps for a fun dinner with a kick.

Make ahead: The pickled vegetables can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before making the wraps.

Storage notes: Refrigerate tempeh leftovers for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Refrigerate the pickles for up to 3 days.

Where to buy: Gochujang can be found in many well-stocked supermarkets or in Asian markets.

1 cup unseasoned rice vinegar 2 tablespoons granulated sugar ½ English cucumber, thinly sliced

on the bias

4 ounces (2 cups) bean sprouts 4 scallions, trimmed and thinly

sliced

4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil,

divided

4 teaspoons grated fresh ginger,

divided

1 cup water

3 tablespoons gochujang (Korean

chile paste)

2 tablespoons agave syrup or

maple syrup

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy

sauce

4 garlic cloves, finely grated or

pressed

1 pound tempeh, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces 1 tablespoon toasted sesame

seeds

2 heads bibb lettuce (8 ounces

each), leaves separated

In a medium bowl, combine the vinegar and sugar. Microwave on HIGH until steaming, 1 to 2 minutes, then whisk to dissolve the sugar. Add the cucumber and bean sprouts and let sit, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Drain the vegetables and return them to the now-empty bowl. Stir in the scallions, 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil and 1 teaspoon of the ginger. Set aside until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, in the Instant Pot or another multi-cooker, whisk together the water, gochujang, agave or maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, the remaining oil and the remaining ginger. Arrange the tempeh in as close to an even layer in the pot as possible and spoon the sauce over the top of any pieces that aren’t submerged. Lock the lid into place and make sure the steam valve is sealed. Select PRESSURE (HIGH) and set the cook time to 12 minutes. (It should take a few minutes for the appliance to come to pressure.)

Once the timer goes off, release the pressure manually by moving the pressure-release handle to “Venting,” covering your hand with a towel and making sure to keep your hand and face away from the vent when the steam releases. Carefully remove the lid, allowing the steam to escape away from you. Transfer the tempeh to a serving dish.

Using the highest SAUTE function, simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn the appliance off. Spoon the sauce over the tempeh, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve in lettuce leaves with the pickled vegetables. Serve warm. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition information per serving (9 pieces tempeh, 3 large lettuce leaves, using agave, without the pickles): Calories: 212; total fat: 9 g; saturated fat: 2 g; cholesterol: 0 mg; sodium: 391 mg; carbohydrates: 20 g; dietary fiber: 2 g; sugar: 9 g; protein: 16 g