Tempeh: my creative, innovative recipe

What is tempeh?

Tempeh is fermented soya bean invented by the Indonesian Javanese. The soya beans are fermented in such a way that the beans are bound into a cake. It reached Malaysia's shores through Javanese immigrants and is now a very standard Malaysian alternative to meat. Because of the fermentation process, the protein in the soya bean have been rendered in a more easily digestable form. It is also a high fiber food.

Tempeh recipe

My previous Indonesian maid, whenever asked to tempeh, always cut them into small pieces and fry them. In Malay restaurants, you often find a more spicy dish with anchovies, chili, groundnuts, etc and of course spice to make it spicy.

However, I am now without a maid and either go out to eat "chap fan" (translated literally is "mixed rice"). It is just like home cooked food in a restaurant, with rice and a whole assortment of meat, fish, vegetable dishes you heap onto your plate of rice. However, on a Saturday morning when I go to the farmers' marker (Pasar Tani), there will be hawkers selling tempeh. I buy a few, but definitely would want them fried if I cook myself.

I use my own creative, innovative, simple recipe to cook tempeh. Just like the others, it first start with opening up the tempeh package, then cut them into small pieces. But instead of frying, I add garlic, yellow kunyit powder (turmeric powder), add enough water to just cover them. Bring them to a boil, slow cook over a small flame for about 10 minutes. It is done.

What more can be simpler. I have all healthy ingredients. Tempeh, garlic both natural antibiotic and garlic, the miracle health food. Turmeric is another health food. Look at the 20 health benefits of turmeric.

The taste? Don't know about you, I love my simple recipe and the tempeh is quite tasty due to the garlic.


Tempeh/Tempe is made by a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process that binds soybeans into a cake form. It originated from Indonesia, invented by the Javanese, where it is most popular, although it is common in other parts of Southeast Asia as well, introduced by migrated Javanese. It is especially popular on the island of Java, where it is a staple source of protein. Like tofu, tempeh is made from soybeans, but tempeh is a whole soybean product with different nutritional characteristics and textural qualities. Tempeh's fermentation process and its retention of the whole bean give it a higher content of protein, dietary fiber and vitamins compared to tofu, as well as firmer texture and stronger flavor. Tofu, however, is thought to be more versatile in dishes. Because of its nutritional value, tempeh is used worldwide in vegetarian cuisine; some consider it to be a meat analogue. Even long before people found and realized the rich nutritional value of tempeh, tempeh was referred to as “Javanese meat.”