Part 37 (1/2)

SERVES 4 TO 6.

TIME: 80 MINUTES, LOTS OF IT INACTIVE.

If we ever decided to drop out of cookbook-writing society completely and become surfer dudettes, we would eat these amazing tacos every single day, without even bothering to change out of our wet suits first. Beer and chile-marinated tempeh is first slapped onto the grill (or fried in a cast-iron pan), then lovingly stuffed into steamy corn tortillas, topped with a bright and tangy mayo-free coleslaw, and drenched with luscious lime crema dressing. It's a perfect, light, summer meal, or even if you just want to pretend it's summer. Best served with an ice-cold Mexican beer.

There are a few components to this recipe that need to marinate for about an hour each-half hour if you're desperate-but putting these together is a snap. Better yet, make the slaw (save some time and look for preshredded cabbage in the produce aisle) and marinate the tempeh overnight for best results. More than likely, you'll have marinade and slaw to spare, so why not marinate an additional batch of steamed tempeh while you're at it?

Use Sour Cilantro Cream (page 209) in place of the lime crema. Thin it out slightly with additional lime juice or soy milk so that it's the consistency of a thick salad dressing.

Leftover tempeh, lime crema, and garnishes make an amazing ”taco” salad served with salad greens and crunchy tortilla chip strips.

Taco slaw: 3 heaping cups finely shredded purple or white cabbage (10-12 ounces), or a mix of both

1 carrot, shredded finely

cup apple cider vinegar

2 pickled jalapenos, diced finely

1 teaspoon salt

A few twists of freshly ground black pepper

For the Lime Crema: cup plain soy yogurt

3 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or avocado oil

cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves

teaspoon salt

Chile-Beer Marinade: cup beer, pilsner or ale style (Mexican preferred)

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons peanut oil