How to make peanut tempeh

Some people don't like to make soy tempeh because of the hassle of removing the soy hulls, especially if they don't have a grain mill. I found peeled raw peanuts in our local Asian supermarket and thought they would be an easy ingredient to make tempeh from. After some trial and error I was able to make peanut tempeh. The Rhizopus mould grows more slowly on peanuts and needs extra fermentation time to make nice and firm tempeh. Peanut tempeh is slightly harder, perhaps because the peanuts were quite large, and has a slightly bitter aftertaste. This is what you need to make 700g of peanut tempeh: 500g of peeled raw peanuts, 1 teaspoon of tempeh starter and 4 tablespoons of vinegar.

Step 1: Soaking the peanuts

Rinse the peanuts and soak in plenty of water for about 12 hours.

Step 2: Cook the peanuts

Drain the peanuts, place in a saucepan and add enough water to cover. Add the vinegar and leave to cook for 60 minutes. This is longer than the soya beans. Drain the water and dry the peanuts by reheating them in the saucepan over medium heat for a few minutes or until the peanuts are dry. Allow the peanuts to cool to below 35°C.

Step 3: Adding the tempeh starter

Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of tempeh starter over the peanuts and mix thoroughly with a large clean spoon for about one minute.

Step 4: Fermentation

Perforate a plastic bag measuring approximately 18 x 28 cm every 1 cm with a thick needle. Place the peanuts in the bag, seal or seal and incubate at 30°C for 2 to 3 days. The bag should then be completely filled with white mycelium and the entire contents can be lifted out in one piece.