DIY Guide to Preparing Tempeh at Home

DIY Guide to Preparing Tempeh at Home

Have a Go at Homemade Tempeh Making! Dabbling in the world of homemade tempeh is as simple as you'd think, and it's a blast for fun, taste, or even to save a few bucks! This guide walks you through the buying of essential equipment and ingredients, provides a delicious soybean tempeh recipe, and helps you avoid mistakes.

Ready to get cooking? Jump straight to the sections that get your culinary juices flowing:

• Legumes for Tempeh
• Equipment Needed for Tempeh Making
• Soybean Tempeh Recipe
• Cooking Tempeh
• Avoiding Hiccups
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Get the Tools!

What's Tempeh?

Let's break it down—tempeh is a traditional Indonesian food made from fermented soybeans, almost like a firm Camembert cheese made from soybeans instead of milk. It's jam-packed with nutrients, protein, and boasts a fantastic taste. You can chow down on tempeh the same way as tofu or meat, such as marinated, cooked in various ways, or tossed in countless dishes.

Tempeh's concoction involves legumes (often soybeans), water, and a tempeh starter culture (Rhizopus oligosporus or Rhizopus oryzae). Once the legumes are cooked, the starter culture is added, and the beans are incubated. During fermentation, the culture forms white filaments that bind the legumes together, creating a tasty and textured final product.

Sure, you can buy tempeh at the grocery store, but it's a cinch and safe to make at home!

Legumes for Tempeh

Traditional tempeh is made with soybeans, but the world is your oyster—or rather, your legume! You can use:

• White beans, black beans, pinto beans, azuki beans, red beans
• Chickpeas
• Lentils
• Lupines
• Gourganes (Broad Bean or Fava Bean)...and more!

Using dehulled legumes makes the process significantly easier, as the shells must be removed for the culture to reach the seed. You can opt for dehulled soybeans, split peas (yellow or green), or shelled chickpeas (Chana dal) for a hassle-free tempeh-making experience.

Equipment Needed for Tempeh Making

Equipment essentials for tempeh creation include:

• Large saucepan
• Large bowl
• Large spoon
• Clean dishcloth
• Ziploc bags
• Cooking thermometer

Bagging Tempeh

During fermentation, tempeh needs to retain moisture and breathe at the same time. Traditionally, banana leaves are used, but they're hard to come by outside the tropics. Most commonly, a perforated Ziploc bag is the solution.

Tempeh Incubator

Maintaining the ideal temperature for incubating tempeh is crucial. Ideally, it's around 86°F (30°C). If it's too cold, the spores take longer to develop. If it's too hot, the spores may die.

There are a variety of ways to incubate tempeh:

• In an oven with the lights on
• In a dehydrator
• Using a thermocirculator and a hot water bath
• With a seedling heating mat
• In a cooler with containers of boiling water

How to Make Homemade Tempeh

The homemade tempeh process consists of:

1. Preparing the Legumes:- Soak the legumes overnight and dehull them if necessary.

2. Cooking:- Cook the legumes but leave them slightly crisp, as they'll continue to cook during fermentation.

3. Inoculating:- After cooking, drain and dry the legumes, then add vinegar and the tempeh starter.

4. Bagging:- Fill the bags with the legumes, avoiding packing them tightly. Make sure they're not overfilled (max. 1 inch / 3 cm thick) to allow the culture to breathe.

5. Incubation:- Place the bags in an incubator and monitor the temperature. After 12 hours, turn the bags over so that the culture can breathe.- The tempeh is ready when the legumes are completely covered with a dense white film. This process can take from 24 to 72 hours.

Soybean Tempeh Recipe

Rating: 2/5 stars Servings: 4 Prep Time: 10 minutes

Equipment

• 1 Large saucepan
• 1 Large bowl
• 1 Large spoon
• 1 clean dishcloth
• 1 strainer
• 1 fork
• 1 oven with incandescent bulbs (or another type of incubator)
• 1 Cooking thermometer
• 3 Ziploc bags (medium size)

Ingredients

• 3 cups dehulled soybeans (or any other beans)
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tsp tempeh starter culture

Steps

Preparing the Legumes

• Soak the soybeans in a large bowl overnight.
• Drain and discard the water.
• If you're using dehulled soybeans, you're all set. If not, remove most of the hulls by hand.

Cooking the Soybeans

• In a large saucepan, bring 8 cups (2L) of water to a boil.
• Add the soybeans to the saucepan.
• Cook for about 25 minutes or until the soybeans are al dente.
• Skim off any foam that forms on the surface.
• Drain thoroughly.

Adding the Starter Culture

• Spread out the soybeans on a clean dishcloth and dry them off with light pressure.
• Transfer the soybeans to a mixing bowl.
• Add the vinegar to the beans. Mix well.
• Add the starter culture. Mix well.

Bagging

• Fill the bags with the soybeans. Avoid packing them tightly.
• Poke holes in the bags with a fork to allow moisture to escape and air to enter.

Incubation

• Preheat your oven to 85–88°F (29–31°C). If you're using another type of incubator, match the temperature to the descriptions earlier in this guide.
• Place the bags on a tray or directly on the oven rack.
• Incubate for 24–48 hours, checking after 12 hours to see if the temperature is stable.
• The tempeh is ready when white filaments cover the entire soybean mass.

Notes

Cooking Tempeh

Congratulations, you've made delicious homemade tempeh! Enjoy it in a variety of ways, inspired by Indonesian, Asian, vegan, or fusion recipes. Here are some top picks:

• Tempeh burger
• TLT (Tempeh Lettuce Tomato) or TMK (Tempeh, Mayo, Kimchi) sandwich
• Asian-style glazed tempeh
• In a poke bowl
• In a stew with coconut milk
• Tempeh ribs in BBQ sauce
• Simply fried in oil

If the tempeh is too strong for your taste, boil it for a few minutes before adding it to your recipes.

Always cook tempeh before consuming it!

Avoiding Hiccups and Improving Technique

To create successful tempeh or boost your technique, you need:

• A good starter culture with high concentrations of active spores.
• Thoroughly clean equipment.
• Good control of the incubation environment: temperature, humidity, and acidity.

Frequently Asked Questions about Tempeh

Can tempeh be made from grains?

Yes, tempeh can also be made from grains like rice, quinoa, millet, barley, buckwheat, sunflower, etc. You can make tempeh from grains alone or mix grains and legumes. Cook the grains al dente in a separate saucepan and drain them well. Add them to the legumes along with the vinegar.

Can Tempeh be Made Without Starter?

No, you cannot make tempeh without the starter culture. Unlike other fermentations, tempeh requires mold spores to start the process. It's not advisable to use tempeh as a starter culture (backslopping) because there is a risk of contamination.

Can Canned Legumes Be Used to Make Tempeh?

No. Canned legumes are overcooked and their taste and texture won't be ideal for making tempeh. Additionally, the added salt and preservatives hinder the fermentation process.

Can I Make Tempeh Without Plastic Bags?

Yes, it's possible to make tempeh without plastic bags! Tempeh may be made using banana leaves (traditional method), reusable silicone bags with holes, closed and perforated plastic containers, or even open containers (though they may dry out quickly). You can cover open containers with perforated aluminum foil or a lid to allow air flow.

• Exploring a variety of legume options for homemade tempeh, such as white beans, black beans, chickpeas, lentils, lupines, and gourganes, can lead to unique outcomes in taste and texture.
• To reproduce the ideal temperature for incubating tempeh at home, zero in on 86°F (30°C)—avoiding temperatures either too cold or too hot can mean the difference between moldy tempeh and delicious results.
• Using a multi-step method including soaking, cooking, inoculation, bagging, and incubation, anyone can master the art of homemade tempeh for a cost-effective and nutritious addition to their health-and-wellness or food-and-drink lifestyle.

Read also: