The Grocer: Tempeh
Tempeh is a traditional soy product that packs a tonne of fibre and protein. This versatile food can be included in a variety of vegetarian or vegan recipes to make them extra nutritious.
Hailed as a superfood, Tempeh is a soy-based product that originated in Indonesia. Tempeh is made by fermenting cooked soybeans within a mould and mixed with whole grains to create a firm cake with a slightly nutty taste and a more crumbly texture than regular tofu.
The versatile food boasts a lot of health benefits that make it a great addition to vegetarian or vegan cuisine. The fermentation process involved in the creation of tempeh reportedly boosts the amount of riboflavin, vitamin B6, and healthy acids. The consumption of tempeh can boost brain function, detoxification enzymes, increases bone density and reduces cholesterol. The fermentation process has also been shown to reduce the fat content of soy, which already has less saturated fat and calories than meat products.
Tempeh is a great addition to the kitchen as it is easy to cook with, absorbs flavour and is a great nutritious substitute for meat or regular tofu. One of the easiest ways to cook tempeh is to simply marinate and cook it for quick use in simple stir-fry dishes, or salads but if you think you are up to the task of trying something a bit more complicated, there are plenty of options. Try your hand at making some kale, avocado and miso-dipped tempeh wraps, tempeh chimichurri, curried tempeh grilled cheese sandwiches, balsamic maple glazed tempeh or pomegranate sweet and sour tempeh.
Feeling hungry? We don’t blame you. Tempeh is a great substitute for those looking to ease their way into vegetarian cuisine or to simply spice up dinnertime. If you are curious to see how the professionals use it, BSKT on the Gold Coast whip up a batch of DIY Spring Rolls using fried tempeh.
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