Tempeh

Tempeh is a fermented food typically made from soybeans, most popular in Indonesia and other parts of Southeast Asia. Tempeh is similar to tofu in providing a way to improve the digestiblity of soybeans, but different from it in nutritional characteristics and eating qualities, as tempeh's fermentation process and its retention of the whole bean give it a higher content of dietary fiber and vitamins, as well as firmer texture and stronger flavor.

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Tempeh begins with whole soybeans, which are softened and cracked or pulped, then partly cooked. A mild acidulent, usually vinegar, may be added and a culture containing the fungus Rhizopus oligosporus is then mixed in. The beans are spread into a thin layer and are allowed to ferment for approximately 24 hours at a temperature around 30°C (86°F). In good tempeh, the beans are knit together by a mat of white mycelia. Under conditions of lower temperature, or higher ventilation, gray or black patches of spores may form on the surface -- this is not harmful, and should not affect the flavor or quality of the tempeh. This sporulation is normal on fully mature tempeh. A mild ammonia smell may accompany good tempeh as it ferments, but it should not be overpowering.

Soybean: Soybeans (US) or Soya beans (UK) (Glycine max) are a high-protein legume (family Fabaceae) grown as food for both humans and livestock. The word soy is derived from the Japanese word shoyu (soy sauce/soya sauce)....

Indonesia: The Republic of Indonesia is located in the Malay Archipelago, the world's largest archipelago, between Indochina and Australia, between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the most populous Muslim-majority nation in the world and the fourth most populous overall. It has had free elections since th...

Southeast Asia: Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia....