Tempeh, Eggplant & Farro Bowl

YKGrub · Oct 2026 · serves 2 + baby · 30 min · air fryer, built on the week's prep

• Source: Leila, 2026-10-13 — wanted a bowl instead of the planned mezze. Built from what the week's prep already had in the fridge.
• Serves: 2, plus a baby portion · 30 min, mostly the eggplant

The grain, beans, greens and pickle are already made. The only cooking is the eggplant and the tempeh, and those share the air fryer.

Ingredients

From the fridge

• 2 cups cooked farro
• 1 cup marinated beans, with a slotted spoon
• Massaged kale, 2 handfuls
• Daikon and red pepper pickle
• Mast-o-khiar, or plain yogurt with salt

To cook

• 1 eggplant, in ¾-inch cubes
• 1 block tempeh (8 oz), in ¼-inch slabs
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• Salt

Tempeh — steam it first

1. Steam the tempeh slabs 10 minutes in a covered pan with an inch of water. This is the step that matters: raw tempeh is bitter, and steaming pulls it out and opens the grain so it takes marinade.
2. Pat dry. Toss with the soy sauce, lemon juice, maple, garlic and ½ tsp turmeric. Rest 10 min while the eggplant cooks.
3. Sear in 1 tbsp oil over medium-high, 3 min a side, until the edges crisp and the glaze catches.

Eggplant

1. Cube and salt generously. 15 min in a colander, then press dry. Less fussy than slices, same principle.
2. Toss with 2 tbsp oil, ½ tsp turmeric, salt.
3. Air fryer 390°F, 14 min, shaking twice. Oven: 425°F, 25 min.
4. Pull the baby's portion before the salt — a few plain cubes, air-fried alongside, mashable.

Build

1. Warm the farro with a splash of water, 1 min.
2. Layer: farro, massaged kale, eggplant, tempeh, beans.
3. Pickle on the side, a spoonful of mast-o-khiar on top.
4. Finish with lemon and a drizzle of olive oil. Taste and salt — the beans and the eggplant both take more than you expect.

Notes

• No tempeh in the house as of the 13 Oct shopping list — it had firm tofu, not tempeh. Tofu works: press 15 min, cube, same marinade, air fryer 390°F for 12 min. Not as good, but close.
• No miso here on purpose. Miso-glazed tofu did not land in July; this glaze is soy, lemon and garlic instead.
• Tempeh steams and the eggplant air-fries at the same time. Start the steam first.
• Leftovers hold 3 days, but dress each bowl fresh rather than storing it assembled.