Baked Tempeh & Japonica Rice Casserole

Provided you find a brand that has been properly fermented and inoculated with Rhizopus culture, tempeh is not only a protein and vitamin B12 rich food for vegetarians, it's also an incredibly versatile ingredient in fast and easy-to-prepare vegetarian dinners. As I've mentioned before for Ontario readers, tempeh from the Noble Bean is an excellent product that I recommend.

This baked tempeh casserole with japonica rice takes very little time to prepare and is a very tasty and earthy dinner in itself when served with a vegetable dish or green salad.

Baked tempeh & japonica rice casserole

12-ounce package tempeh, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
3 tablespoons tamari sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup japonica rice
2 green onions, sliced, both white and green parts
2 1/2 cups boiling water

Mix the cubed tempeh together with the garlic, shallots and 2 tablespoons of the tamari sauce in a bowl and let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°.

Heat a large frying pan or wok over medium heat. When hot, pour in the olive oil, wait a few seconds, then swirl the oil around the pan. Pour in the tempeh with the garlic, shallot and tamari sauce, being careful of splattering, and stir fry for 8-10 minutes or until the tempeh cubes are browned on each side.

Put the tempeh, rice, and the white parts of the green onion into a small baking or casserole dish or bread pan. Cover with the boiling water and place into the preheated oven. Cook uncovered for 45 minutes or until the water has evaporated.

Fluff with a fork and serve garnished with the green parts of the green onion. Serves 3 to 4.