Originally from Indonesia, tempeh is produced from peeled and cooked soybeans. The seeds are then roughly crushed and then fermented with a very specific fungus. After 24 hours of fermentation, small white molds appear around the seeds and form a block. Visually, it looks a bit like nougat. In terms of taste, fermentation gives the soybeans notes of mushrooms, nuts and yeast.
What are its main strengths?
“It’s a good alternative to meat, because tempeh is rich in protein (20%, like a steak), with all the essential amino acids, says Laurence Salomon. It is also well supplied with fiber (7%), digestible thanks to fermentation; in unsaturated fatty acids (10%), good for the cardiovascular system; and in group B vitamins, important for nervous balance.”
And what about soy phytoestrogens? “The latest studies have shown that they do not pose a health problem. On the contrary, consumed without excess, they promote good hormonal balance”, reassures the expert.
Is it more interesting than tofu?
Tofu is made from soy curd juice, tempeh from fermented soybeans. “The tempeh is therefore more concentrated in nutrients because the seeds are whole”, notes the naturopath. It is also more digestible and tastier because it is a fermented food.”
Tofu contains less protein (-15% on average) and fiber (-2%). But there is still a very good alternative to meat, all-purpose and easier to find. Both are cooked a little the same way, the tempeh being firmer and the tofu more melting.
How to use it in the kitchen?
You can find tempeh in the form of a pavé or sausage in the fresh section of organic stores. We cook it:
- In golden pieces in a drizzle of oil (olive or sesame)
- As an accompaniment to rice and vegetables
- Marinated in soy sauce, lemon juice, ginger grated, or in honey for a glazed side
- Ground, replacing meat in stuffed tomatoes, bolognese pasta, chilis…
Ideas from Laurence Salomon: I cook it rolled in arrowroot and pan-fried in coconut fat; cooked on skewers with vegetables and a sauce made from peanut puree, soy sauce and lemon juice or baked in foil with small vegetables”.
Read also :
- 5 ways to eat more plant protein
- What does being vegan mean?
- Eating vegan would reduce the risk of diabetes
