If you have already learned how to cook tofu and seitan, the next step has to be to find a taste for a soy derivative, unknown until very recently here, but very common in Indonesian cuisine.
Tempeh, which results from the fermentation of soybeans with the rhizopus fungus, has as much protein as meat, regenerates the intestinal flora and does not produce cholesterol, among other benefits. Although the most notable thing is that it contains vitamin B-12, which does not exist in vegetables, and that helps assimilate iron. It is also a source of calcium, phosphorus and iron.
If there is total agreement regarding its nutritional properties, there is controversy about its flavor. While some find it tasteless, others find it to have a disturbing mix of nuts and mushrooms.
Some warn that it is somewhat bitter and unpleasant and others say that over time they have become accustomed to appreciating it. Nothing that cannot be remedied with a good treatment of the product, of which there is already a large recipe book.
Recipe book with illustrious authors
Like Juan Mari Arzak, who proposes it with garlic; with mushrooms and tomato sauce or simply grilled. But others make meatballs with it that are difficult to differentiate, they say, from beef ones, or a burrito, suitable for vegans and strict vegetarians. Before talking about how to integrate it into everyday cooking, a few notes to prevent the first contact with it from being the only one.
According to the basic instruction manual for beginners, the first thing is to check that it is in perfect condition in the store. The blocks in which it is presented must be uniform and dense, and not break or bend when picked up. They also have to smell good, although that seems like a more imprecise and subjective fact.
Just as tofu, also derived from soy, has a smooth appearance and the texture of soft cheese, in tempeh you can perfectly appreciate the soy seeds, which remain whole. It is whitish in color, but do not think that it is spoiled if it looks darker: it may have been previously marinated in liquid soy.
It keeps in the refrigerator for three or four days, and can be frozen. The recommendation is to cut it into smaller pieces so you don’t necessarily have to cook it all at once. For a first contact with tempeh, it is recommended to do some prior treatment, such as doing it in water or broth for about ten minutes to remove the bitter aftertaste that many attribute to it.
Marinated is also good
Another option is to marinate it to add flavor. Citrus fruits work well, such as lemon or vinegar, spices to each person’s taste, coconut milk for a more exotic preparation, honey… According to experts on the subject, it is a most versatile product.
It can be eaten fried – in small, crispy pieces it is a good appetizer – or grilled, as it comes from the package or after subjecting it to any of the preparations mentioned. But it is also crumbled to make an Italian bolognese sauce or meatballs that will then be cooked in the most classic way.
They recommend it stewed in curry or stew, with Argentine chimichurri; in tacos and with chili, in salads, on the barbecue with its corresponding sauce; in hummus or kebab; in soups and in oriental dishes made in the wok with a mixture of vegetables. That is, it covers world cuisine. And, yes, there is also a large recipe book for tempeh desserts.
