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1. Crumble the tempeh into rough, uneven chunks — aim for a mix of small and medium pieces to mimic pulled pork texture. Heat a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add half the olive oil, and sear the tempeh in a single layer undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until deep golden on one side, then toss and cook another 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
400 g Tempeh,
1.5 tbsp Olive oil
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2. Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining olive oil to the same pan. Finely dice half the white onion and add it to the pan along with the crushed garlic cloves. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until softened and fragrant. Finely chop the chipotle chilies and stir them in along with the cumin, smoked paprika, and Mexican oregano. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
1.5 tbsp Olive oil,
4 clove Garlic,
2 piece Chipotle chili in adobo,
1.5 tsp Ground cumin,
1 tsp Mexican oregano,
1 tsp Smoked paprika,
0.5 piece White onion
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3. Return the seared tempeh to the pan. Pour in the vegetable stock, squeeze in the juice of the orange and one lime, and tuck in the bay leaves. Season with salt and black pepper. Stir to combine, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and braise gently for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway, until liquid is mostly absorbed and tempeh is deeply flavored.
400 g Tempeh,
1 piece Orange,
2 piece Lime,
1 cup Vegetable stock,
2 piece Bay leaves,
1 tsp Salt,
0.5 tsp Black pepper
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4. Uncover the pan, remove and discard the bay leaves, and increase heat to medium-high. Cook for 5–8 minutes, stirring occasionally but allowing the tempeh to sit undisturbed in between, until the remaining liquid evaporates and the edges of the tempeh become caramelized and crispy. This step is essential — the contrast of crispy edges and tender interior defines the carnitas character.
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5. Make a quick charred tomato salsa: place the tomatoes and serrano chili directly over a gas flame or under a hot broiler, turning occasionally, until well charred on all sides, about 8–10 minutes. Roughly chop and combine in a bowl with half the cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and salt to taste.
1 piece Lime,
1 tsp Salt,
1 piece Serrano chili,
3 piece Tomato,
0.2 cup Fresh cilantro
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6. Finely dice the remaining half of the white onion. Halve, pit, and scoop the avocados into a bowl. Mash roughly with a fork — keep it chunky. Stir in the remaining cilantro, finely diced onion, a generous squeeze of lime juice, and salt to taste.
1 piece Lime,
1 tsp Salt,
0.5 piece White onion,
2 piece Avocado,
0.2 cup Fresh cilantro
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7. Carefully separate large, cup-shaped leaves from the green cabbage to use as shells — you'll want 2–3 leaves per person. Thinly slice the radishes. To assemble, spoon a generous portion of tempeh carnitas into each cabbage leaf, top with charred tomato salsa, a dollop of guacamole, and sliced radishes. Serve immediately.
1 piece Green cabbage,
6 piece Radishes
