Jamaican Coconut Stir-Fry

So two of my best friends just came back from a beautiful vacation in Jamaica! They raved over the food and a Jamaican cooking demonstration they saw. This dish is usually made with chicken or white fish, but we substituted tempeh and it worked beautifully! The sauce is delicate and flavorful, with delicious sweet potatoes in the mix as well. This dish is a nice change in my usual cooking, but is easy to prepare and comes together quickly. Thank you Piper for this recipe!! Looks like now I just need to plan a trip to Jamaica myself...

Jamaican Coconut Stir-Fry

•  1/2 red onion, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
• olive oil
• salt + pepper
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 1-2 sweet potatoes, diced + steamed
• 1-2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper, minced (or less; be careful, these are HOT!)
• 1 pkg of tempeh or tofu, cubed (press for 20 minutes if tofu; or use Carribean tofu)
• sliced chives or scallions, for garnish
• rice, for serving

1. Heat a large skillet (that comes with a lid) on medium. Add enough oil to saute with and add onion, pepper, and thyme sprigs. Cook 5 minutes or more until vegetables are softened. Add garlic, stir, and cook 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add sweet potatoes, tomatoes, coconut milk, scotch bonnet, and tempeh/tofu. Bring to a boil, simmer, and cover with a lid. Cook 10-15 minutes until tempeh is softened and the stir-fry is flavorful. When done, remove the thyme sprigs from the pan (the thyme leaves should fall off into the sauce). Season again and serve over rice. Garnish with scallions or chives