Tempeh balls with sweet and sour tamarind sauce

Originally published in 2011, I've updated this recipe for tempeh balls in sticky tamarind sauce in 2025 to be more clear and straightforward than its original. The original recipe contained broccoli in the stir fry, which I've omitted in the new version. If you want to include a vegetable component, I would double the sauce recipe.

Despite their outward appearance these tempeh balls are quite unlike traditional meatballs, or at least ones I've had. The texture is more soft, less meaty, and a teensy bit more QQ than meatballs. It's also worth noting that my tempeh-doubting partner eats these without complaint.

These tempeh balls work well as party snacks (get your toothpicks to the ready) and appetisers, but if you want to make them into a substantial meal then fire up your rice cooker.

You can use the stir fry sauce with other vegetables and proteins as well, so if tempeh isn't your cup of tea then try it with a meat analogue or sturdy vegetables like green beans or broccoli.

Print Recipe

Tempeh balls with sweet and sour tamarind glaze

For best results, use a homemade tamarind concentrate. This recipe is untested with store bought tamarind liquids (the quality isn't great so I stopped buying it). You can serve these as an appetiser, a light snack, or as a main with rice.

Servings: 2 servings, with rice

Ingredients

Tempeh balls

• 175 grams tempeh
• 50 grams finely minced onion
• ½ packed tablespoon grated ginger 8 grams
• ½ packed tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• Scant ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 40 grams rice flour
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Stir fry

• 3 tablespoons tamarind concentrate
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• Scant ½ teaspoon cornflour
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 60 grams onion, cut into wedges red or yellow
• 2 fat cloves garlic thinly sliced
• ½ inch piece of ginger peeled and julienned
• Chopped spring onion for topping
• Coriander for topping

Instructions

Make the tempeh balls

• Get your steamer heating up to a rolling boil.
• Crumble the tempeh by hand to as fine a texture as you can into a large bowl. Add the onion, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, salt, coriander, and rice flour. Mix until everything is thoroughly combined.
• Form heaped ½ tablespoon balls and roll them with your hands into 1 inch-ish spheres. You’ll end up with somewhere around 25 by the time you’re finished. Line your steamer with a liner or greaseproof paper and arrange the balls inside, with some space between them. Steam for 20 minutes.
• The balls will be very sticky to the eye and touch right when they're finishing steaming, so leave them to cool for a further 20 minutes before the next step.
• Heat a well seasoned wok (or sturdy frying pan with nonstick qualities that can take high heat) to medium high for a couple minutes. Once it’s hot, add the oil. When it begins to smoke, add the balls and stir fry for a few minutes until they have some browned spots on most sides. Remove them to a plate.

Prepare the stir fry

• Combine the tamarind, sugar, soy sauce, and cornflour in a small bowl. Stir to dissolved the cornflour.
• Place the wok back on the hob and bring the heat to high. Add the oil. When it begins to smoke, add the onion. Stir fry for a minute until the onion softens and develops some browned marks. Add the tempeh balls, garlic, and ginger, continuing to stir fry for about 30 more seconds.
• Turn the heat down to medium, give the sauce a quick stir, and pour it into the wok. Toss everything with a wok spoon to coat evenly in sauce. Cook for around 30 seconds, until the tempeh balls are coated in a slick glaze. Turn off the heat.
• Dish up and top with spring onion and/or coriander.