How to make tempeh

Making tempeh is very easy. Here we explain how to make tempeh from 100% soy. This is the traditional tempeh as it is consumed in the country of origin: Indonesia. But soy tempeh is also the most popular tempeh in other countries. To make 1kg of tempeh you will need the following ingredients:

- 600 g whole dry soybeans
- 5 tablespoons vinegar
- 1 teaspoon (about 3 to 5 grams) of tempeh starter

Step 1: Cracking the soybeans

The easiest way is to crack the soybeans with a loosely set grain mill. Ideally each soybean is cracked in half. On the left you can see a picture of a Family Grain Mill. This grain mill can be purchased on the Internet for less than $150. With the Family Grain Mill you can split the 600 grams soybeans in a few minutes. Daniel informed us that the Porkert Universal Grain Mill can also split the soybeans. This is a Czech made grain mill that is all hot dipped steel, easy to disassemble and lasts a long time. Another grain mill that seems to do the job is the Country Living Grain Mill.
When buying a grain mill, keep in mind that you can also use the dehulled soybeans to make soymilk. If you don't have a grain mill or dehulled soybeans continue with to use whole soybeans, you will have to remove the hulls by hand later. If you are lucky, you may be able find a store that sells dehulled soybeans. Industrial tempeh makers usually buy dehulled soybeans. Maybe they will sell you some soybeans!

Step 2: Soaking and dehulling soybeans

Soak the soybeans in 2 liter water for 6 to 18 hours. If you use whole soybeans you should split them by squeezing them with a kneading motion. Stir gently to bring the hulls to the surface, then pour off the water and hulls into a strainer. Add fresh water and repeat until most of the hulls are removed. Don't worry if a some hulls remain attached.

Step 3: Cooking the soybeans

Put the beans in a saucepan and add enough water to cover them. Add the vinegar and cook for 30 minutes. Drain off the water and dry the soybeans by reheating them in the saucepan over medium heat for a few minutes or until the beans are dry. Allow the soybeans to cool down to below 35°C.

Step 4: Inoculate the soybeans with tempeh starter

Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of tempeh starter over the soybeans. Mix with a clean spoon for about 1 minute to distribute the tempeh starter evenly. It's very important to mix the tempeh starter very well: this reduces the risk of spoilage and speeds up fermentation.

Step 5: Incubate the beans

TTake 2 plastic bags of 18 x 28 cm and pierce them with a thick but sharp needle about 1 cm apart. A normal needle is too thin, you need a thick needle or a small nail (about 0.6 mm in diameter). This will allow the mold to breathe. Divide the soybeans between the two bags and seal them. Press them flat, making sure that the total thickness of the beans is no more than 3 cm. Place the packaged beans in an incubator at 30°C or in a warm place for about 36 to 48 hours, during which time the tempeh will ferment. The container should then be completely filled with white mycelium and the entire contents can be lifted out as a whole piece.

Making other types of tempeh

The most popular tempeh is soybean tempeh. But you can also make tempeh from other substrates:

• mixed tempeh
• peanut tempeh
• black bean tempeh
• chickpea tempeh
• beluga lentil tempeh

Now you know how to make tempeh. We hope you enjoy making tempeh at home and... eating it! If you have any questions about how to make tempeh, please email us! If you like making tempeh at home, you might also consider making your own natto with this excellent natto starter. Natto is fermented by Bacillus subtilus, which is a powerful probiotic.