Tempting tempeh and green beans

Ingredients

• 6-8
  
  ounces tempeh
  
• 10-12
  
  ounces green beans
  
• 1
  
  stalk lemongrass
  
• 1 1/2
  
  cups jasmine rice (purple variety pictured)
  
• 2 1/4
  
  cups coconut water
  
• 1
  
  can coconut milk
  
• 1/4
  
  cup premium dark soy sauce plus 2-5 additional teaspoons
  
• 1
  
  teaspoon blackstrap molasses (unsulphured)
  
• 4
  
  tablespoons creamed coconut (this is typically found in baking isle and has no sugar added)
  
• 2
  
  teaspoons kosher salt
  
• 1
  
  cup water
  
• 3-4
  
  tablespoons coconut oil
  

Directions

1. Prepare lemongrass by cutting ends off and splitting stalk in half. Then cut into ~2 inch pieces and separate them.
2. Simmer coconut milk with lemongrass stirring occasionally for at least 30 minutes to allow the lemongrass to flavor the milk
3. Cut tempeh into 1 inch by 3/8 inch strips.
4. Mix 1 cup water with 1/4 cup soy sauce in a container that will hold tempeh and add tempeh. Marinate for at least 15 minutes.
5. Rinse rice until water runs clear and add rice, coconut water, and salt to medium sauce pan. Bring to boil and then simmer covered for 20-30 minutes (all water should be absorbed when done). I love using coconut water to boil grains. It adds a great flavor to oatmeal. Also start another pot of water to boil for blanching the beans.
6. Cut ends off beans and then cut into 1 inch pieces. Once water is boiling blanch beans for only a minute or two. Stop once they start turning a slightly darker green, put in ice water and strain. You want to make sure they maintain their crunch.
7. To make sauce strain coconut milk mixture into a large frying pan and add molasses, creamed coconut and 2 teaspoons soy sauce. Simmer until thickened to your liking. I personally like simmering until about half the liquid remains. The fat may separate if you thicken it long enough. It this happened I recommend using a fat separated to remove it or just skim as much as you easily can off the top of the pan. Test flavor and add soy sauce to your preference.
8. While simmering sauce. Heat coconut oil in medium sized frying pan on medium heat. You want the pan covered in about 1/8 inch of oil. Add tempeh and cook until golden then flip once and cook other side until golden
9. Stir green beans and tempeh into sauce just until everything is warm.
10. Serve on bed of rice.