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What is tempeh?

tempehTempeh has become so popular that you can find it in the refrigerated section of many supermarkets. Of course, you can also find it in health food stores and oriental shops. Tempeh originated in Indonesia, where it is still an important food. Tempeh is a cake of soybeans that have been hulled, cooked, mixed with a tempeh starter (culture of Rhizopus oligosporus or Rhizopus oryzae), and incubated for a day or two. The white mycelium of the Rhizopus fungus holds the soybeans together to form a solid cake that can be easily sliced. In Indonesia, tempeh is traditionally made only from soybeans, but in Western countries you can find tempeh made from other ingredients such as vegetables, grains, or other beans. Because tempeh is made from whole soybeans, it is a high-fiber food. Tempeh is a rich source of protein, minerals, soy isoflavones (53 mg isoflavones per 100 g) and saponins. It is also a generous source of nutrients such as calcium, B vitamins, and iron. In addition, tempeh is a good source of monounsaturated fat and contains no cholesterol. The natural fermentation process of tempeh also makes the soy more digestible. Good website with more information about tempeh.

Easy to make at home

It is very easy to make tempeh at home. If you enjoy gardening (planting seeds, watching them grow, and harvesting), you can accomplish this process in just a few days! You will notice a big difference between homemade tempeh and store-bought tempeh: it tastes and smells much better. Fresh homemade tempeh smells like mushrooms, but after a few days in the refrigerator, the smell becomes a bit chemical. Tempeh is made by adding an acid, such as acetic acid, to the soybeans to prevent the growth of spoilage bacteria. In Indonesia, tempeh makers do not add this acid, but allow the soybeans to acidify naturally in the soaking water.

Versatile Ingredient

Tempeh has a soft, chewy consistency that makes it an excellent addition to a variety of foods. The easiest way to prepare tempeh is to bake marinated slices of tempeh in a pan with oil until crisp and golden brown. Tempeh is also delicious on the grill: steam and marinate cubes of tempeh in a barbecue sauce, then grill until browned. You can add tempeh cubes to spaghetti sauce, chili mix, or your favorite soups and casseroles.

Comments

And what about the moulds in tempeh?

Are the moulds in tempeh toxic? Moulded food is generally considered as being very toxic. Also we are tolled not to eat too much moulded cheese. Is tempeh save?
Please give advice because I'm confused.

Sylvia
Sylvia Spencer - 25/10/2013

Aflatoxins

As far as we know, the moulds used in the production of tempeh, namely Rhizopus Oligosporus, do not produce toxins. The Japanese and the Indonesians have done a good bit of research to answer the obvious question of whether these products contain aflatoxins or other mould related carcinogens, which apparently they don't.

Toxins are produced by moulds such as Fusarium, Aspergillus and Penicillium.
The best known mould toxic is aflatoxin produced by Aspergillus flavus. These moulds are never used for tempeh production.

Moulds in tempeh have been shown to produce antibacterial compounds, which have a beneficial effect by preventing growth of other bacteria, and thereby increase food safety.

Rob - 21/11/2013

help

Hi
I am a graduated of Microbiology
I'm interested to know the methods of manufacturing the product...
Please Help me...
Thank you
meysam ebrahimi - 02/01/2014

Tempeh production

I am a graduated of Microbiology
I'm a small farmer having soyabean crop in my farm & interested to know the methods of manufacturing tempeh at small scale level...
Please Help me...
Thank you
Liladhar Patil - 09/02/2015

Production of Tempeh

About the production of Tempeh
http://www.tempeh.info/
Sherif G. - 23/06/2015

Dehulling the soya bean for making tempeh

I have been making tempeh for many years, but I feel bit hard to dehulling the soya bean especially in large quantity, do you know where I can get small home dehulling machine?
tawfiq - 24/12/2015

raw tempeh

Can I eat raw tempeh? Some tempeh producers say it is OK to eat raw tempeh, others say that you have to first cook raw tempeh. Very confusing!
Emanuele - 16/04/2016

No difference

I don't think there is much difference from store-bought tempe and homemade tempe , they taste and smell the same . I also see the store owner plant and make the tempe himself. I often help him too so even if it isn't homemade i think it's the same
monica - 13/07/2016

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