Tempeh, a Meat Analogue

Tempeh or tempe in Indonesian is made by a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process that binds soybean into a cake form. Tempeh is unique among major traditional soy-foods in that it is the only one that did not originate in China or Japan..


It originated in today’s Indonesia, and is especially popular on the island of Java, where it is a staple source of protein. Like tofu, tempeh is made from soybeans, but tempeh is a whole soybean product with different nutritional characteristics and textural qualities.

Tempeh’s fermentation process and its retention of the whole bean give it a higher content of protein, dietary fiber and vitamins. It has a firm texture and strong flavor. Because of its nutritional value, tempeh is used worldwide in vegetarian cuisine, some consider it to be a meat analogue.


Tempeh is Healthy!

Tempeh is very nutritive and contains many health promoting phytochemicals such as isoflavones and soy saponins. Tempeh fermentation produces natural antibiotic agents but leaves the desirable soy isoflavones and most of the saponins intact. Tempeh is a complete protein food that contains all the essential amino acids. The soy protein and isoflavones have many health benefits. Isoflavones strengthen bones, help to ease menopause symptoms, reduce risk of coronary hearth disease and some cancers. Tempeh maintains all the fiber of the beans and gains some digestive benefits from the enzymes created during the fermentation process


How to Cook Tempeh

In the kitchen, tempeh is often prepared by cutting it into pieces, soaking in brine or salty sauce, and then frying. Cooked tempeh can be eaten alone, or used in chili, stir frys, soups, salads, sandwiches, and stews.

Tempeh has a complex flavor that has been described as nutty, meaty, and mushroom-like. Tempeh freezes well, and is now commonly available in many western supermarkets as well as in ethnic markets and health food stores.

For a twist on the traditional sandwich, place broiled tempeh on a slice of whole grain bread, layer with sauerkraut, top with cheese or meltable soy cheese, then broil in oven for a few minutes until the sandwich is hot and toasty.

Add extra flavor, texture and nutrition to chili by adding some tempeh. Because it is a low-fat and high-protein food, many vegetarians choose to include tempeh in their diet on a regular basis.

Try adding some to a stir fry instead of tofu, or crumble into soups or chili. Because of it's firm texture, you need to slice tempeh into small dices or cubes, not more than 3/4 inch thick. Tempeh can be found in the refrigerated section of most health food stores and in the natural foods aisle of well-stocked grocery stores.

When thin sliced and deep fried in oil, tempeh obtains a crispy golden crust while maintaining a soft interior—its sponge-like consistency make it suitable for marinades. Dried tempeh (whether cooked or raw) provides an excellent stew base for backpackers.

In Indonesia, particularly in Java island Tempeh is very popular. There are so many tempeh dishes can be found and here are some interesting ones:


Tempe Mendoan

It’s a thinly sliced tempeh, battered and deep fried quickly resulting in limp texture.  The origin of the word mendoan is from Banyumas regional dialect, which means “to cook instantly in very hot oil”, that results in semi-raw cooking^] and soft texture. The tempeh is dipped into spiced flour dressing before frying it in hot oil for a short time. Tempe Mendoan may seem like half-cooked soft fried tempeh, unlike common crispy fully deep fried tempeh.

Tempe Bacem or Sweet Marinated Tempeh

Tempeh boiled with spices and palm sugar and then fried for a few minutes to enhance the taste. The result is damp, spicy, sweet and dark-colored tempeh. 

Sate Tempe or Tempeh Satay

The tempeh is marinated with a traditional Indonesian spice paste named Bumbu rujak or mixed spicy sauce prior to grilling.

Tempe Penyet (Pressed Tempeh)

Indonesians almost eat everything with sambal. Sambal is a condiment made from a variety of peppers, although chilli peppers (red chilies, green chilies, bird's eye chilies) are the most common. Sambal is used as a condiment or as a side dish, and is sometimes substituted for fresh chillis; it can be very hot for the uninitiated.

Tempe Penyet is a unique dish of Indonesia. After the tempeh is fried, covered with sambal and pressed using pestle a shallow mortar so that the sambal can penetrate the tempeh.

It is usually served with warm rice and raw vegetables.

Sambal Tumpang (Vegetable salad with tempeh dressing)

Tempeh is also used as salad dressing

References:

• Foodinfo.net
• Wikipedia
• WHFood
• IndonesiaEats