What do you know about tempeh?
"Tempe" (also commonly referred to as "tempeh") originated from Java Indonesia. There are lots of information which can be found online but we would like to share an unknown insider story from an Indonesian perspective.
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After the Japanese occupation, Indonesia as a nation plunged into poverty. Food was hard to come by and tempeh, being a cheap and nutritious source of protein, was often the go-to food for the people. When Indonesia gained independence in 1945 and started to thrive, tempeh was considered to be food for the poor. The middle and upper class would look down on tempeh and it was not consumed by them for any meal.
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However, in the 1960s, the Dutch who previously colonised Indonesia started to manufacture it in the Netherlands. Little by little, tempeh's reputation as a delicious and nutritious protein started to grow internationally. This wasn't unnoticed by the Indonesian people. The fact that tempeh was held in such high regard overseas made it more acceptable for the middle and upper class.
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Today, tempeh is well-known around the world and enjoyed by everyone.
Our tempeh ...
Nothing can compare to fresh tempeh. Using only soy beans and tempeh starter (Rhizopus Oligosporus), and processed it with traditional methods, we ensure that you will be given tempeh of the highest quality.
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We have done so many experiments to perfect our tempeh making techniques and we can say that our tempeh is comparable to tempeh in Indonesia. Our raw tempeh has a firm and chewy texture with a slight earthy taste. To ensure that you get the freshest tempeh on harvest day, we only accept advance orders.
Tempeh is not always about Indonesian cuisines
There are many ways to cook tempeh outside of the usual panfries or Indonesian dishes. Tempeh is so flexible that we have seen it being used in sandwiches, burritos, tacos, pastas, salads, BBQ and teriyaki (which happens to be one of our personal favourites).
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Don't be afraid to experiment with tempeh. You would be in for some heavenly treats. For more inspiration on how to cook tempeh, head over to our ever expanding blog for recipe ideas.
Have tempeh that starts to smell bad? Don't throw!
You are reading it right. Do not throw away tempeh even though it starts to smell. In actual fact, it could be one of the key ingredients for some exquisite Indonesian dishes.
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This type of tempeh is also commonly referred to as "Tempe Semangit" (derived from the word "sangit" which means unpleasant odour) or "Tempe Busuk" (which means rotten in Bahasa Indonesia).
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Tempeh "Semangit" happens when the fermentation has gone on for more than a day and the tempeh is left untreated. This results in a bad smell but a tangy taste. You can use it to cook sambal tumpang (Javanese style Old Tempe Chili), mendhol, sayur lodeh and many more.
Sayur lodeh
(Indonesian vegetable curry)
Mendhol
(Deep fried old tempeh with herbs)