First, braise the tempeh. Add the tempeh, water, tamari and garlic to a pan with sides. Bring to a high simmer and braise for 15 minutes.
When the tempeh is done braising, remove it from the pan and discard the liquid but keep the garlic cloves in the pan. Add the butter, mushrooms and onions and sauté until the mushrooms and onions are just starting to soften.
Add the tomato paste and diced tomatoes. Mix the tomato paste around and cook for 3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the wine and cook for another 5 minutes, until the sauce is slightly thick.
Add the tempeh back into the pan and turn to coat with the sauce. Add the sprigs of thyme and heat through, another 5 to 10 minutes. Enjoy!