Deep-Fried Tempeh Sushi with Carrot and Avocado
There's a reason why we often make this sushi roll. ;)
The tempeh is cut into four long strips, braised in a pan that has enough water to come up halfway on the side of the tempeh with the addition of a splash of sake (feel free to use mirin) and splash of tamari. The pan is brought to a boil, reduced to a hard simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 20 minutes.
Then the tempeh is carefully removed from the pan and drained. The next step is to deep-fry the tempeh in peanut/canola oil at 375° for about 1 minute, turning often, until nice and golden brown on the outside. Remove (carefully, it's still fragile) and drain on a wire rack.
After the tempeh cools you can add it to your sushi roll -- we like to add carrot and avocado and cut on the bias for a nice presentation. Here's a similar shot when we made this back in January 2012.