Tempeh - Indonesian Traditional Cuisine

Tempeh

Do you know Tempeh or Tempe (Javanese) ? It's very popular on the island of Java. Tempe is a traditional soy product originating from Indonesia.
It's like tofu which is made from soybeans through fermentation process and its rentention of the whole bean give it a higher content of protein. The fermentation process binds soybeans into a cake form.

The flavor is earthly and the texture is firm that become more pronounced as it age. The nutrition value of tempeh is high and make it is used worlwide especially in vegetarian cuisine.

Kedele is the name of soybean that is the main ingredient of this product.

In the 17th century Chinese Immigrants introduced tofu to Java and according the historian Ong Hok Kam tempeh was accidentally produced or the by broduct of the tofu industry. The residue of the tofu industry grew a certain fungi that was found to be edible. And about the term tempeh itself derived from old javanese "tumpi." Tumpi is a whitish food made from sagoo, and found as well the term is connected to the other product of fermentation that in local term is called "tape" or "tapai." Tapai or tape means fermentation.

Nowadays tempeh is known worldwide. It is William Mitchel who live at London to be the seller of tempeh at that city. Two years ago he has been started to sell tempeh in a market in London and he said that he wants to introduce tempeh so every kitchen in England there will be the tempeh. He make it, cook it and sell it by himself. William was an English teacher at Jakarta in 1995 and he learned about tempe at some cities in Indonesia. Malang is one of the cities. Now the business is going well. The local people at London like it but it is not the local people only. London is an international city, so many people from many countries buy Wiliam's tempeh at London.

If you visit Indonesia, don't forget to try this product.