Being from Australia, one thing I would like to do with this blog is create some Aussie dishes. The following recipe includes an Australian Native ingredient, the Macadamia. The macadamia is a nut that was eaten by the Aborigines before the settlers arrived. It’s high in protein and supposedly one of the healthiest nuts. You can find more information here.

This recipe can be eaten on it’s own or is quite delicious with a little orange sauce created with marmalade. The sauce I created is just marmalade reduced down with water and boiled to thicken up. Serve with mash potatoes, salad or fries - it goes well with everything. And, if you don’t have tempeh, use firm tofu! I’ve cooked with both and works just as well with tofu!

Image: Macadamia Encrusted Tempeh with orange sauce and shitake mushrooms

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup macadamias, raw or unsalted
• 1/2 cup flour
• salt
• pepper
• 1 tsp italian herbs
• 1 packet tempeh - what is tempeh? Wikipedia.
• 1/3 milk
• oil for shallow frying

Instructions:

1. Cut the tempeh into finger size pieces.
2. Place the macadamias into a blender and add the salt and pepper.
3. Blend down the macadamias down and add the flour, mixing thoroughly.
4. Dip the tempeh into the milk and cover the tempeh with the flour mixture.
5. Fry each side until golden brown.