Banh Mi Collard Wraps

Preheat oven to 425°F. Slice the tempeh crosswise into thin strips, about ¼ inch thick. Peel the carrots. Using the largest side of a box grater, grate the carrots into a bowl. Thinly slice the cucumber into matchsticks. Thinly slice the scallion on the diagonal. Pick the cilantro leaves from the stems.

Cut the yam into thick wedges. Transfer to a baking sheet and toss with 1 tbsp olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bake until fries are browned and crispy in places, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Prepare the collard greens by cutting away some of the tough stem, while keeping the leaf mostly intact. Bring a large skillet with 2 inches of salted water to a boil for the collard greens. Once the water is boiling, add the collard green leaves, and press to submerge. Cook until bright green and pliable, about 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Return the large nonstick skillet to medium-high heat with 2 tbsp vegetable oil. Once hot, add the sliced tempeh, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook until crispy and well browned, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add the apricot preserves and ¼ cup water. Continue to cook until the tempeh is well coated and the sauce thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Place 1 or 2 collard green leaves (2 if they’re small, allowing them to overlap) on a clean surface. Top with shredded carrots, sliced cucumber, sliced scallion, cilantro leaves, apricot tempeh, and pickled jalapeños. Roll, pressing to seal the wrap. Cut the roll in half. Repeat for the second roll.

In a small bowl, combine the Vegenaise and Sriracha. Divide the banh mi collard wraps between plates. Serve with yam fries and spicy mayo. สนุก!